Senior Year: How It Really Happened
by Don'tLetThemSeeYourBack
Summary: It's senior year and our Wildcats have a lot of choices and memories to make. Is Sharpay actually nice this year? What's up with the tension between Chad and Ryan? Will Zeke make the perfect creme bruelee? Just who is Kelsi crushing on, and what is even going on with Jason? Let's be honest, Troy and Gabriella are probably doing fine. Find out what really happened senior year.
1. The First Day

**Location:**

 **East High School**

 **Senior Year**

 **The First Day**

* * *

Albuquerque—where the summer's are hot, and it's basically always hot no matter what season. It was seven in the morning and the sun was well-passed rising. The empty halls of East High slowly began to fill as more and more students showed up for the first day of classes.

Freshman tried not to make eye contact as they nervously attempted their locker combinations for the first time, sophomores felt awesome as heck because they weren't freshmen anymore, and juniors were just so done with school—though school hadn't even started yet.

Then there were the seniors of East High, though really just like any seniors: Excited for new beginnings, as well as deathly afraid of new beginnings. Ready for it to all end, totally in denial that it's all ending. Obsessing about college applications, while also putting off college applications to the last minute. Wishing that summer had lasted for just another day, or twenty.

While most students greeted each other having not seen one another all summer, there were several arriving seniors who had spent the entire summer together who hadn't experienced much separation anxiety. Chad Danforth approached the familiar building in his brand-new-but-also-incredibly-used truck. Pleased, he pulled into his assigned parking spot and tossed his parking slip onto his dash.

Giving his steering wheel one last squeeze, he couldn't help but sigh at the fact that this truck had cost him all of the money he'd managed to earn over the summer at Lava Springs. His parents had chipped in as well, and well...all of his money was gone.

"Would it really be another school year if I wasn't flat broke as usual?" He said to himself, grabbing his backpack and slipping out of his vehicle.

Walking through the large double doors, Chad waved to many familiar faces—even some he didn't know—as he made his way to his new locker in the senior hall. Re-checking his combination, he'd successfully opened the door when a familiar voice sounded behind him.

"Chad Danforth." Taylor smiled, looking prim in a light blue sweater vest with matching plaid pants. Her small backpack hung on her right shoulder, swinging once Chad engulfed her in a hug, bringing her up on her toes.

It was a bit of a dramatic reunion, considering they had only been apart for two weeks. Their jobs at Lava Springs ended at such a time that it allowed everyone two weeks of real summer break. Everyone had meant to hang out, but most had gone off on family trips so it just hadn't happened.

"Taylor! You _would_ be here so early, and looking more put together than any of us." Chad commented, smiling down at her even though his heart rate spiked slightly.

He had asked Taylor out last year and they had been on a few dates over the summer, but Chad wasn't quite sure how to take things...further? Did he even know what that meant? They typically had a good time whenever they were together, Chad just had this inkling that something wasn't right. It was like he was constantly waiting for something to come out of no where, and that something was going to be Taylor breaking up with him. Because somehow...when they were together, it was like there was one piece of the puzzle that refused to fit.

Chad secretly worried that Taylor felt this too, but she hadn't said anything yet.

"It's a little early, but walk me to homeroom?" Taylor asked, dusting off the shoulder of his green tee that read, 'I'm still asleep'.

"Absolutely, _madam~_ " Offering his arm, they strolled the bustling hallway.

Turning the corner, the pair saw Troy, Gabriella, Kelsi, Martha, and Jason—were staring at the cork board. Most of the group looked pensive, Jason just looked kind of bored. Taylor waved to the girls, giving Troy a nod as they approached.

"Hey, man." Chad said, clasping hands with Troy, then Jason, in greeting. "What's going on?"

"The first musical of the school year is RENT." Kelsi stated, clutching a small binder full of papers. She glanced at Troy and Gabriella one more time. "These two should be signing up to audition, but they're acting like they won't."

"C'mon guys, it'll be fun." To make a point, Martha stepped forward and signed her name on the sheet.

"Oh my gosh, yes! You all should sign up!" Kelsi exclaimed, to which Chad tensed visibly, Taylor shaking her head, while Jason merely yawned. Gabriella remained silent.

"Look...Kelsi," Troy started, moving his hand through his hair awkwardly, "Last year was fun, but...it took up a lot of time. This is senior year. There's a lot going on. I mean, I want to spend my time with my friends—you guys—and we can't make the most of the little time we have if we're just in school the whole time... It was fun...but I think it was a one time thing."

"Not to mention we are gonna kick some major basketball ass this year!" Chad interjected, relieved to hear that he wasn't going to have to share his best friend with theater for another year. High-fiving Jason, Chad's happiness would be short-lived.

"Well actually..." Gabriella started quietly, all eyes falling on her, "If we all auditioned and got in, then we would be spending _so much_ time together. Even if we were just ensemble, it could be a lot of fun. I know you enjoy it, Troy. You want to do this."

Troy stared at Gabriella quietly, not willing to outwardly admit his opinion quite yet. Smiling, Gabi turned back to the group.

"We should do this!"

"I'll pass." Taylor said, surprising everyone with her blunt response. "I enjoy theater, but it's not something I've ever done. Of course I'll come to see the show if you guys are in it."

"Taylor..." Gabriella protested, meeting her friend's eyes. Taylor smiled, though she seemed exasperated there was a hint of reluctance as she adverted her gaze.

"Taylor, I heard you sing this summer. Your voice is really nice. You should show it off at least once." Kelsi stepped toward Taylor, offering her a smile. They'd gotten closer over the summer, and she sincerely thought her friend would enjoy being in the musical.

"Guys," Kelsi continued, "You can do this musical, this one musical. There's another after the new year, and you don't even have to do that one. This would be such a fun memory."

"I'm in." Jason spoke up, catching the group off guard. "Dancing is kind of cool, I think."

With the ice completely broken by Jason and Martha, Gabriella was the next to sign. Kelsi batted her lashes, and Taylor caved, laughing with Gabriella as she penned her name. Kelsi signed, and with a quick hand-squeeze from Gabriella, Troy stepped forward to add his name as well.

Chad remained where he was, even with all his friends staring at him. _Damn it._

"No way." He shook his head, his hair twisted to-and-fro as well. His friends protested, gaining volume, and Chad became annoyed.

"C'mon man!"

"Chad...don't be that way."

"This'll be so much fun!"

"Troy's doing it! C'mon!"

"Hey! I have never pretended that I liked this stuff!" Chad exclaimed, letting his temper get the better of him if he were to admit, "My opinion? It takes way too much time, and it's a distraction from the team. It's a musical! It's so—"

Chad held his breath, managing to stop himself before he went too far. His best friend really liked theater, and he didn't want to hurt him over it again. Not to mention, he didn't want to really bash it. It was just hard to stop himself when he was on a roll; it was something he was working on.

"It's so what, Danforth? Fantastically awesome?"

The voice came from behind Chad, and he watched as his friends broke out into grins. Turning, brown eyes met blue, and the memory rushed into Chad's head like a sharp thump.

 _Hey batter, batter,_

 _Hey batter, batter,_

 _What?_

Lips dry, Chad resisted the urge to run his tongue along them as he kept his gaze with Ryan Evans'. Beside him was his sister Sharpay, holding hands with Zeke.

"I'll second that," Chimed Sharpay, smiling sharply at them all, "Why is everyone talking about theater?"

Ryan's sassy comment could have been more intimidating if it weren't for the white button-up he was wearing patterned in little black boots, with complimentary all-white pants and fedora. Chad shifted uncomfortably, allowing the three to join the circle, but turning his body more toward the arch the original group had made.

"We've all signed up to audition, Sharpay, we're trying to get Chad to sign, too." Gabriella offered with a direct, sweet smile.

The two had settled things over the summer, with tension still high, but Gabriella was determined to make Sharpay her friend. For the principal of it all, but also because a school year without a Sharpay-scheme would be just perfect. It was Sharpay's turn to tense, but she didn't object.

"Zeke, would you like to audition? You'd spend more time with Sharpay." Jason offered sincerely, earning an eye roll from Chad and Troy.

Zeke looked at Sharpay, who looked like she was considering the idea. Suddenly she smiled brightly, liking the idea. If she was going to have to deal with the whole motley crew, at least she should have more people she enjoyed being around.

"To be honest, I've been interested in this sort of thing for awhile now! Time to see what draws Troy in so much!" Exclaimed Zeke, stepping up with Sharpay to sign their names on the list as well.

Crossing his arms, Ryan turned to face Chad with a friendly, albeit slightly-challenging smile on his face.

"So Chad, most of your friends are in. What do you have to lose? We already know you can dance."

It was a perfectly innocent joke that elicited perfectly innocent chuckles. Chad bristled.

"That was a one-time thing. And you lost the game anyway." His voice was sharp, sharper than he'd meant.

"Ouch." Ryan turned his gaze to the side, moving awkwardly to the sign-up sheet to sign his name. He might Chad's eyes as he turned again.

"I hope that what you said after the game wasn't a one-time thing. Because it means a lot to me to have us all be friends for our senior year." Ryan smiled, feeling more introverted than he ever had, as the rest of the group smiled. Ryan looked visibly relieved as his smile widened.

"Of course, Ryan." Gabriella said happily, pulling him in for a hug. It was Troy's turn to bristle.

 _Damn it_. Embarrassment and regret flooded over Chad and he looked down. He didn't even understand why he was making a big deal out of this. He could've just signed his name and there wouldn't have been any fuss.

Resigned, Chad stepped forward, and wrote his name underneath Ryan's. His friends cheered at the same time as the warning bell sounded—three minutes until homeroom. Turning, he faced Ryan again, who smiled happily this time. Chad couldn't bring himself to respond. Ryan extended his hand, and Chad forced himself not to hesitate in reaching out to take it.

 _Hey batter, batter,_

 _Hey batter, batter,_

 _What?_

"I'll see you at lunch, Chad." Taylor said, and Chad broke contact with Ryan.

"Sure thing." He smiled at Taylor as she kissed his cheek before hurrying down the hallway.

Oh right, class. Chad looked over to find that the entire group had disbursed, including Ryan. Feeling a little uneasy, Chad made his way to homeroom as well.

Darbus.

Walking into the class, he stopped as literally everyone he'd already been talking to in the hall looked over at him.

"Seriously? Why didn't we all just walk together?"


	2. Singing Your Heart Out

**Author's Note: Hey there! I'd just like to thank everyone who came back to read my next chapter—as well as all of you that just now found it, and continued to read to Chapter 2! Hope it doesn't disappoint! Also a big shout out to Sara-Ann Marie** **for being my first ever reviewer. I haven't done fanfiction in quite awhile, let alone HSM, and I was very nervous about it. So I just posted it on a whim after writing for four hours straight. I'm so happy to see that some people have liked it. :) Thanks again for reading! -Becca**

* * *

Location:

East High School

Locker Room

A Friday

"I hate this." Chad grumbled on a moment of impulse, instantly regretting it because he knew his best friend—now he would have to share his feelings.

"But you love practice?" Troy questioned as he pulled on his jersey, looking confused.

The two had just come from their last class, and in the hall they'd run into Kelsi. Jason, Zeke, and Troy all reconfirmed their appointments with Kelsi to help with their auditions for Rent. This put it into perspective that Chad had spent the entire week pretending he hadn't signed up, and there was no way Kelsi had any free time left—it went without saying the girls had been to her as well.

"Oh, are you freaking out about auditions? Dude it's not that bad, I swear. There's no need to be nervous." Chad started, turning toward his friend as he closed his locker.

"Dude." Insulted Troy would think he was scared, Chad made a face at Troy.

"Well actually Darbus will probably have some witty comment." Chimed in Zeke.

"Yeah well, I'd have a wittier one." Chad said, slipping on his jersey then running his hand over the large 8 on the front. "I'm just not gonna do it."

"What?!" Troy, Zeke, and Jason all exclaimed this at the same time.

"It's not a big deal!" Indignant, Chad headed out of the locker room to the gym, knowing that they would follow.

"You promised everyone that you would! Everyone's auditioning!" Persisted Troy, taking the basketball out of Chad's hand as soon as he'd picked it up.

"I'm even auditioning!" Exclaimed Jason, throwing his hands up and taking a ball to the gut as the team chuckled.

Coach Bolton blew the whistle, signaling practice. Troy looked regretful that the subject had to drop, but the guys huddled together anyway.

* * *

Location:

East High School

Practice Room

Same day

"But it's not even from a musical!"

"Shar, I'm aware. In the professional word it's normal to know other contemporary songs, you know that." Ryan persisted, using all of his willpower not to roll his eyes at his sister.

Sharpay pouted, and Ryan knew it was really because Sharpay's favorite thing to do was rehearse. Singing rehearsal was her absolute favorite, and if it wasn't for a musical or an uppity pop number she just couldn't keep interest.

"Look, why don't we go over your song one more time, then mine, then we'll call it a day." Ryan offered, smiling when his sister visibly perked up. Taking a seat at the piano, because nowadays they preferred playing themselves rather than a rehearsal pianist. _Oh, how times have changed._

"Okay Shar, I know you hate ballads but this one could totally land you Maureen. Feel it this time." Sharpay didn't respond, Ryan knew she wouldn't, so instead he gave her another second and began.

 _Mama who bore me  
Mama who gave me  
Mama the angels  
Who made me so sad _

Ryan glanced up from the sheet music to his sister as she sang. Truthfully he was impressed. Sharpay had always been talented, but she rarely bothered beyond what grabbed her interest instantly. This was the first time Ryan could recall her attempting something with a deeper challenge acting-wise. The idea of a Sharpay who might be willing to explore deeper emotions sounded nice, albeit scary.

 _Mama, the weeping  
Mama, the angels  
No sleep in Heaven, or Bethlehem _

"Great!" Ryan quickly tapped a few random keys on the piano for emphasis.

"Mmmmm..." Sticking out her lower lip for a moment, Sharpay tilted her head, "Should I go for something more quirky? Or outrageous? Maureen is just so vibrant. This doesn't feel quite right."

"Well, that's true. But I think it just depends," Plucking a few more keys, Ryan continued, "Even Maureen's most outrageous song is a pretty deep metaphor. I feel like Maureen could totally love Spring Awakening and everything it stands for."

Sharpay nodded slowly, staring off into the distance. Sometimes Ryan wondered if she was really listening when she looked like that, but he was pretty sure she was listening this time. Then Sharpay turned to Ryan, smiling brightly.

"Can we do it again?"

"Nope. My turn. Then home!"

"Fiiiine."

Reluctantly Sharpay switched places with Ryan, switching out the sheet music as well. Ryan's was a song, not just a music number, so he was performing a shortened version. Double-checking where he'd marked, Sharpay laid her hands over the keys.

"Are you sure you don't really want to go for Angel but you're just too scared?"

Shoulders falling, Ryan narrowed his eyes at his sister. The approach was terrible, but he could tell by her perked shoulders that she actually was attempting to care. Rare, but possible.

"I want the role of Mark. Is that so impossible?"

"Fine, fine, fine. You'll be an amazing Mark! I just wanted to make sure." Rolling her shoulders, Sharpay began.

 _Lean on me when you're not strong  
And I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on  
For it won't be long  
'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on _

Comfortable, Ryan let himself sway to the song, running his finger along the edge of the piano. Wandering around it, he ended up on the side of it in time to see the door slowly open.

The hair appeared before the rest of him. Chad Danforth took a tentative step in, looking like he might turn around at any second. Sharpay didn't look over, but Chad looked to Ryan. Seeing his hesitation, Ryan lifted his head in greeting as he continued. Chad closed the door, waiting at the edge of the room silently.

 _Please, swallow your pride  
If I have things you need to borrow  
For no one can fill those of your needs  
That you won't let show_

 _You just call on me, brother, when you need a hand_  
 _We all need somebody to lean on_  
 _I just might have a problem that you'll understand_  
 _We all need somebody to lean on_

Sharpay ended with a flourish and a happy noise. Clapping, she stood up to gather up her purse and finally looked toward Chad.

"Danforth. Looking for the gym?"

Rolling his eyes, Chad's hand curled around his backpack and he looked to the door, ready to leave again.

"What's up, Chad?" Ryan asked, picking up his tan fedora from the piano and placing it back on his head. His fedora today matched the tan pants he was wearing, paired with a light, light pink button-up.

Reluctantly, Chad turned back to the two of them, trying to figure out how to say what he needed to be said.

"Did you come to apologize to my brother for what you said to him on Monday?" Sharpay asked, crossing her arms over her hot pink tank top.

Chad had been about to speak, so his mouth was open slightly, except now he was always frozen in place. Her stance remained strong however, much to both boys' surprise. It wasn't often that Sharpay was so protective of Ryan.

"Um...Sorry, Ryan. I tend to speak before the words process in my brain. You know." He gestured with his hand awkwardly before letting it drop, slapping against his thigh. Ryan merely matched his awkward expression.

"No problem. That's not really why you came though, is it?"

"Well, no, not really. See, I procrastinate. And I also tend to prefer denial before all else. And well...I have thought about auditions at all and I have no idea what I'm doing."

Then there was silence. Ryan and Sharpay looked at each before looking back at Chad, all three awkwardly staring at each other now.

"I know you don't want me teaching you anything." Sharpay said bluntly, to which Chad could not deny.

"I'm desperate?"

"I'll wait in the car, Ryan. Don't take forever!"

When Sharpay left, things in the room only got quieter. Chad sighed, wanting to crawl under his truck and never come out. Contemplating doing just that, Chad turned to leave the room as well.

"I assume you were also asking me. If that's the case, I'd be happy to help you."

Pausing, Chad turned, eyebrows rose. Why was he hesitating? He'd just asked for help not two minutes prior.

"Is there some kind of problem?" Ryan asked, his arms crossed as Sharpay's had been, his leather cross-body resting against his hip.

"What do you mean?"

"You're acting weird. You've acted weird all week which I really don't get because over the summer everything seemed fine. It was better than fine, it was great. We were all friends. And out of everyone I definitely never thought _you_ would be my friend. Is this because of what happened at the bonfire? When I came out to everyone?"

Shocked, Chad found himself hesitating again. Brow furrowed, he honestly didn't know how to respond. Not only was it news to Chad that Ryan sensed Chad was uncomfortable, Chad realized that he _had_ been acting pretty uncool.

"Wow." Was all he could think to say.

There was a very intense pause, and Chad looked up at Ryan, who had his gaze adverted.. Chad could see how much this was affecting him; Ryan looked slightly afraid, and more than a little uncomfortable himself.

"...well? Because if it's a problem I can just leave you alone...I—"

Ryan was cut off by the impact, air wooshing out of his lungs. On impulse Chad had stepped forward, embracing Ryan into a hug with a clap on his back.

"That's the stupidest fucking thing, man. Don't think that of me."

It was off-putting to Chad how much Ryan's face had affected him. The look on his face had seemed so vulnerable, it wasn't something Chad was used too. He found that his chest had tightened at the idea of Ryan afraid he didn't want anything to do with him all because...

Chad came back to Earth, feeling that Ryan had returned the hug, and that more than enough time had passed. Still Chad stood there, his hands flat on Ryan's back. Tensing, he pulled away, clearing his throat.

"So, would you help me?"

Ryan stood silently looking up at Chad thoughtfully, so much so that Chad became aware of the light sweat in his palms. Squeezing hands into fists, he shifted his weight.

Finally, Ryan smiled.

* * *

Location:

The Evan's Residence

The Music Room

Saturday

"I'm sorry if this is awkward to say, but your house is overwhelming." Slipping his hands into his front pockets, Chad stepped into the large open space that was the Evans' music room.

The ceiling was pretty high, and the house itself seemed more like...an estate? Chad wasn't sure, he wasn't good with fancy words. The house had a pool, a fire pit, a guest house, and a three car garage. He hadn't felt shame pulling his rinky-dink truck into their long-as-hell driveway, but the house was just such a sight to behold.

"Yeah, yeah. It's big, fancy, flashy—everything I stand for. Blah, blah, blah." Ryan said with a dramatic, causing Chad to scoff even while grinning.

Ryan crossed the room, glancing at himself in the mirrors on the way as he did a quick spin. Hopping up to the piano, he picked up a thick three-ring binder and perched himself on the edge of the bench.

"Twinkletown?" Chad guessed, shrugging as he merely named off the last musical that Troy and Gabriella had been in. Ryan rolled his eyes.

"Okay, what's your range?"

"My what?"

Ryan lifted the giant binder to his forehead, and then sat it back on top of the piano. Splaying his fingers over the keys, he began the scales. Warming himself up, he made eye contact with Chad, waiting for him to begin as well.

Chad was reluctant, as he usually was about anything that wasn't what he was already familiar with. He gave a note a shot, and Ryan stayed there until Chad felt his voice, heard his voice. Then he continued on. Ryan had never heard Chad sing—not until now.

He couldn't help but grin at him as they continued, genuinely impressed with what he was hearing. Starting over, he let Chad go solo. Chad wavered at first, but Ryan continued to grin, and finally, _finally_ the jock facade dropped. Chad was _actually_ trying.

"Shrek!" Ryan exclaimed, banging his hands on the keys excitedly. Chad jumped, mildly disturbed as Ryan shot up, flipping through the binder like a madman.

"...is Shrek an expletive?"

"No, it's a musical!"

"Seriously?"

"I can't believe even _you_ haven't heard of Shrek: the Musical." Ryan said, pulling some sheet music out of a plastic sleeve.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Chad quipped, brows knit together with mock offense.

Ryan merely shushed him, patting the spot beside him on the bench. Glancing around the room, he could the blonde boy on the bench. Ryan gave him some backstory on a song called "Big Bright Beautiful World." The way Chad understood it was Shrek's part at the end was him taking the harsh words people had said to him all his life, and had flipped them—he was happy despite what the world declared. It was pretty cool, but he wasn't so sure he was going to admit that.

"Okay..." He said carefully, after listening to the broadway recording from Ryan's phone, "But I'm not doing a Scottish accent."

Ryan threw back his head as he laughed, causing Ryan to grin. Standing up, the began working through the song.

 _Keep your big, bright, beautiful world  
I'm happy where I am, all alone  
I've got all I need  
So read the stinkin' sign,_

The song was so brash and sarcastic, and Chad had to admit that he really liked it. He felt like this was a song he could really sing if his life was a musical—although the alone aspect of it could be potentially worrying.

 _Yeah, your big, bright, beautiful world  
Is all teddy bears and unicorns  
Take your fluffy fun  
And shove it where the sun don't shine—Ha!_

Amused, Chad laughed out loud, resting his hands on his stomach. That was his favorite part of the song too.

"Keep going, you twat!" Ryan shouted, though also laughing. He took the song back a few measures, and Chad forced himself to continue even though he was still laughing just a little.

 _I prefer a life like this, it's not that complicated  
Sure I'm fated to be lonely and I'm destined to be hated  
If you read the books they say  
That's why I was created but I don't care  
'Cause being liked is grossly overrated_

 _Who needs a big, bright, beautiful world_  
 _I've got my own little patch on the world_  
 _It's not a big, bright, beautiful world_  
 _But it's mine alone, it's mine, and it's mine_

 _All mine_

Letting out a deep breath, Chad was genuinely pumped. They'd been working on that song for what felt like _forever_.

"Did I nail that?! I feel like I totally nailed that!"

"You totally did!" Ryan exclaimed as he stood up in equal excitement. Chad stepped foreword, and double-high-fived Ryan. Or eventually did, because at first Ryan was caught off guard, then hesitated, then flinched, and finally closed both eyes as their palms made contact.

"That was kind of awesome! Don't tell anyone I said that!" Chad exclaimed, still incredibly pumped.

Ryan only laughed, going in for another high-five. Just then Chad's phone went off in his back pocket. Picking it up, he answered it without looking. Ryan moved to flip through the binder as Chad turned away, crossing to the end of the room.

"Heyyyy~" Chad said happily, in a ridiculously happy mood.

"Hi. So, I just realized that we're all out of those chips you like. If you want some, you'll have to bring them with you."

"Huh?"

"The chips." Taylor repeated, beginning to sound just as confused as Chad did.

This was when Chad realized he was speaking to Taylor. _Taylor_. Closing his eyes, Chad let the happiness slip away as dread filled him. _He forgot about his study date with Taylor._

"Ah, about that..." Nervous, he scratched his forehead before losing a hand in his mess of hair. "I may or may not possibly be an hour late... "

There was silent, and Chad held his breath, his hand fisted in his hair. He could not fight with Taylor, not now. He never knew what to do, or say. Knowing why she was upset was usually an enigma to him, as well.

"Chad, I have a lot to get done today. We agreed on three o'clock and if you can't make it, I'm afraid it just can't happen today."

"Are you mad?" That was totally the wrong thing to say, wasn't it?

" _No_ , Chad. You clearly had something important to do today."

 _Fuck._

"Okay...bye..." Chad winced as Taylor offered an, 'Mhm' noise and hung up.

Turning around, Ryan slowly looked up at him, feigning innocent. Despite his plight, Chad found that he wanted to smile again. Letting out a reluctant sigh, he remembered that actually they'd just finished his lesson.

"...can we run it a few more times?"


	3. Hitting the Fan

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! Gosh this chapter took me awhile. I was really on the fence on how to describe auditions. I didn't want to overload a bunch of detail, etc, etc. Enough excuses! I hope that if you're reading this story, you're enjoying it. If you're unfamiliar with Rent, but you do like musicals, it's on Netflix and I really recommend it! If you'd still like to at least know about it for the sake of this story, I like to wikipedia the musical and read the synopsis. The music from Rent is really wonderful. Anyway, auditions and casting in this episode! A serious conflict is finally starting to present itself. I mean, could they really have a peaceful senior year?**

* * *

Location:

East High School

The Cafeteria

The Day of Auditions

That morning Sharpay had taken extra care in what she'd wear, considering it would also be her audition outfit. Truthfully, she didn't much care for Maureen's style in Rent, but the actual style wasn't the issue. The issue had been finding something that wasn't Sharpay's typical color pallet—which relied heavily on pastels.

The dark-wash jeans had actually come from Ryan's closet, but if she let that piece of information slip then Ryan would throw a fit. Her hair, perfectly teased and wavy, bounced as she walked. A black tank top, and a jean shirt. It was unbuttoned, and tied at her waist. She was wearing dangly earrings because she couldn't resist, and her eyeliner was heavy.

All in all, Sharpay was sure the package looked great, but it definitely wasn't anything she ever wore. Going about her attitude as normal, however, she breezed passed the lunch line to let her adorable little freshman assistant get her food for her.

Ryan was already there and she slid in beside her brother. Back in the day the table 'belonged' to the Drama Club' but the original gang had mostly graduated. She and Ry were the upperclassmen now, and neither really felt inclined to invest in the new members. They would learn in time.

"Ryan, you look the same as you do every day."

"Thanks?" Confused, Ryan continued to eat his fruit cup without looking at his sister.

"Aren't you going to do anything that implies, 'hey, I can look like Mark'?"

"Well, I'm already blonde," Tossing down his fork, Ryan pulled the toothpick out of the center of his sandwich, "And Darbus knows I can act like a heterosexual—albeit Mark just sort of looks unsatisfied most of the time. Which is hardly about sexuality, really."

"That's not what I meant, I just mean, you're wearing _lavender_." Sharpay insisted, adjusting her tray as it was put in front of her, not looking up at her assistant. Silently the assistant went to get her own lunch and sit with the underclassmen.

"Okay—" Ryan half-grumbled through a mouthful of sandwich, "That's the pastel pot calling the pastel kettle pastel, don't you think?"

"Whatever."

Pouting, Sharpay flicked a piece of lettuce on her tray. Sighing, she forced herself to take a bite of the hearty salad. She wished they could go ahead and audition now. It wasn't nerves, but the fact that Sharpay was already in the _zone_. Once she was there she didn't want to do anything _but_ audition. Anything else just annoyed her to no end.

"Hey Sharpay, Ryan, can we sit with you?"

Slowly turning to look up, Sharpay saw Gabriella smiling down at her. Just behind her stood Taylor, looking a bit more reluctant than her bff. _Speaking of annoying._ Processing the situation, Sharpay saw there was no possible means of escape. Despite the dread, there was just the teeniest prick of guilt for not wanting to be around them. So teeny, she didn't dwell on it at all.

"Of course! You don't even have to ask!" Sharpay exclaimed, a sparkling smile stretched across her face.

Ryan smiled more sincerely as Gabriella fearlessly took a seat by his sister. The smile he shared with Taylor was more knowing as she took a seat closer to him. Smiles were shared all around followed by an incredibly awkward moment where no one seemed to want to break the ice.

"So, ladies—who aren't my sister, are you ready for auditions?"

"Well..." Gabriella started as Taylor just made a nervous kind of grumbling noise, "Truthfully I'm kind of nervous. The idea sounded fun, and I think it still could be. But I feel like if I land a principle role, it'll be Mimi. I don't really fit anyone else."

"That's true." Agreed Ryan, Sharpay nodding with him.

"So what's the problem?" Making eye contact with Gabriella, Sharpay kept her smile up, looking forward to the idea of knocking her out of the running before the race began.

"I love all of the characters—it's a great story. But Mimi is such a racy character, and I don't know if I'm comfortable doing that for an audience. Heck, I don't know if I'm capable of that!"

"A-ha!" Ryan said gently, smiling at Gabi, "You're just afraid that you won't be good. That you can't pull it off if you get it. You don't have to feel that way."

Gabi was silent, contemplative. Of course this was what she was worried about, not to mention if Troy got Roger... Those two characters had such an intense relationship and Gabriella wasn't sure she could even begin to replicate it. There was also the fact that Mimi was a drug addict—the material was just so heavy. Heavier than anything she'd ever ventured into.

"What about you, Taylor?" Sharpay asked brightly, seeming to enjoy the company now, "You've probably already deduced that in type-casting preferences, you're up for the role of Joanne."

The question was deliberate, Taylor was very much aware of this. Joanne was the lesbian love interest of Maureen. If both girls got the parts, they were currently staring at the actress they would be kissing on stage for an audience.

"I wasn't quite comfortable with signing up, and to tell you the truth I'm not quite sure I could play a lesbian."

"Why not?" Ryan asked with pure interest. He watched Taylor's body language tense up as she remembered that Ryan was gay and could possibly be offended. He wasn't. Yet.

"I can obviously relate to Joanne on the level that she's an academic, she's very left-brained. We both are romantically invested in people are almost the exact opposite of who we are."

Chad. Ryan nodded at this, as did everyone else at the table.

"But, playing a lesbian is so...no, that's not right—What I mean is, it's the opposite of myself. I'm not gay. Simple as that. The idea of kissing a girl, on stage no less, is just weird. Uncomfortable." Taylor looked at Ryan tentatively, afraid she'd hurt him.

"Well, I can kind of see your point." He offered, taking a sip from his water bottle. "But, the same could be said for anyone that has a serious romantic interest on stage. If you got Mimi, and had to kiss whoever got Roger—wouldn't that be weird and awkward? It just _is_ kind of awkward, until you break the ice and you're over it. Even then it still is kind of awkward on a level."

Taylor's eyebrows knit as she took in Ryan's words, playing over the scenario in her head as he spoke it out loud. It was true, if she was made to kiss Zeke, Jason, Ryan, or even an underclassmen she didn't know it would just feel so weird. Even kissing Chad in front of people would feel _so_ weird.

"You know, I think you're right. The whole thing feels out of my comfort zone." While it felt like she'd made some kind of progress, Taylor still sounded serious as she pulled open the foil lid of her yogurt.

"And that's what theater is all about! Right, Sharpay?" It was Ryan's turn to look at his sister with a bright, stretched smile.

Caught off guard, Sharpay's confusion wasn't masked as her bottom lip stuck just a little. What was Ryan getting at?

"Theater is all about stepping out of comfort zones, and testing boundaries. Actors push themselves past their perceived limits to achieve true, gritty characters to present to the audience. And the audience is also tested, and given context for important conversations. That's why this could be a great experience, wouldn't you say so Shar?"

"Oh...yeah." Sharpay agreed, though her eyes remained on her brother. Looking over to Gabriella and Taylor, she saw they were struggling not to giggle. Resigned to her fate, Sharpay's shoulders slumped. "It'll totally be a lot fun?"

* * *

Location:

East High School

The Theater

Auditions

There was absolutely nothing like walking into an empty theater with just the stage lights on, the audience seating in the shadows. It was one of the many feelings that reminded Ms. Darbus exactly why the theater was her one true love.

Although it filled her with anxiety, she supposed the sound of chattering teenagers filling the hallowed halls was also something she enjoyed. Who was she kidding? She loved them. She just wouldn't let them know that.

Auditions typically had the same vibe every show, no matter how different the show was. Oh sure, the protocol would vary depending, but everyone was always nervous—especially so once Sharpay had begun attending East High. This particular audition process, however, could prove itself to be...interesting.

They had become a tight-nit group, whether they were consciously aware of it or not. What they were _not_ was a theater group, and while she always encouraged others to break out of their comfort zones, this was unexpected. It was rare for Kelsi to participate beyond the rehearsal process, Taylor preferred non-fiction to anything else, and well...Chad Danforth...

Darbus' eyes moved to Jason Cross, who was wearing a Wildcat jacket and sweatpants. Closing her eyes slowly, she allowed herself a cleansing breath before moving on.

"Okay, people! Let us sit, and be quietly respectful as we begin auditions. I trust you all arrived warmed up. Kelsi, despite also auditioning, has graciously agreed to be the accompanying pianist. So, whomever has gallantly decided to go first may step up on stage with her."

With that out of the way, she took her preferred seat in the audience to get comfortable. The student stage manager handed her a cup of tea, for which she expressed her thanks. After a rejuvenating sip, she placed the cup on the table in front of her. By the time she'd clicked her pen, and had her clipboard in hand, Ms. Darbus expected to look up to the smiling face of Sharpay.

Not Jason Cross.

A quick glance to Kelsi at the piano told her nothing because Kelsi refused to make eye contact, keeping her head lowered to the keys. Unsure of the sensation that moved through her, Ms. Darbus kept her face even.

"Whenever you're ready."

"Uh, I'll be singing "Popular" from Wicked." Jason announced, making the quotation marks with his fingers.

"Mr. Cross?"

"Yeah?"

"...It says here on your form 'I don't want a lead role, please.' What _do_ you want?" Ms. Darbus had lifted two fingers to forehead at this point.

"Well, to like, be in the musical, but not be a, like, lead. Dancing's cool, kinda."

Jason looked at Darbus, who looked at him, who continued to look at her.

"Just sit down, Mr. Cross."

"Cool."

And so auditions began. Many of the underclassmen auditioned, but there was still growth to be had. Being in the drama club would give them a head start, but ensemble positions would work in rounding them out before they moved forward on stage. Luckily this show was a fun one no matter what.

Gabriella auditioned, a fun number—though she didn't quite break from the innocence that pretty much radiated from her. Troy auditioned, doing his best to pretend he wasn't excited. Sharpay auditioned—admittedly, Ms. Darbus was impressed. Sharpay remained still on stage, and looked as if she had thought about what she was singing. Ryan went, so incredibly comfortable on stage even when performing alone—something that suited him more than he'd probably imagined, Darbus was willing to wager.

When it was Kelsi's turn, Ryan swapped places with her at the piano. Not many people heard Kelsi sing beyond singing lessons, or for necessity. Kelsi had chosen from Legally Blonde, a bold choice. Ms. Darbus took notice that Kelsi had left her _Role Preferred_ blank, and found that little tidbit interesting. Kelsi came alive in the song, giving it all, and truly putting herself on the line. Especially...

 _Seeing my name up on that list_  
 _That beats the first time that we kissed_  
 _You thought I was dumb_  
 _But I think that somebody's judgment was poor_

 _Seeing my name in black and white_  
 _It's like **making love** with you all night_  
 _No wait, it feel so much better, hello, much better_  
 _It's oh-oh-OH-OH—much better~_  
 _'Cause I am so much better than before!_

Her friends cheered, and even Ms. Darbus felt compelled to add a 'Brava!' at the end. Kelsi's cheeks went pink, but she was smiling as she returned to the bench. Ryan remained seated.

"Um, actually Ms. Darbus, if it's alright I'd like to play for Chad's song. We kind of worked together on it, and well..."

Chad climbed the steps up to the stage slowly, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, actually, Ms. Darbus if that's alright, I'd be comfortable that way, too. Sorry, Kelz, I—" Chad tried to apologize to her, but Kelsi took a seat beside Ryan and merely smiled.

"No, it's totally cool!"

"Yes, Mr. Danforth, proceed when you are ready." Ms. Darbus assured him, but she was currently writing something down thoughtfully. She looked up to find Chad looking back to Ryan, who nodded encouragingly. _Interesting._

Chad sang his song, though he'd never sung in front of any of his friends but Ryan. The belting at the end stunned them all. When the song was done, there was a pregnant silence in which Chad looked like he wanted to disappear.

"Yeah, man!" Whooped Troy, clapping loudly as the rest of the crew joined in.

Chad looked reluctant, because looking pleased with himself would go against his entire behavior from last year. Ms. Darbus smiled as she saw him give in, grinning widely as he gave an outlandish bow.

Ryan crossed to him, clapping a hand to his shoulder. They shared a fist bump before heading off stage.

Quietly, Taylor made her way onto the stage, crossing to Kelsi and handing her her sheet music with both hands. Though her back was to the audience, Taylor looked tense. Kelsi smiled up at her sweetly, offering a silent thumbs up before focusing on the music. When Taylor approached center stage, she looked calmer.

 _Got a little motto  
Always sees me through -  
When you're good to Mama  
Mama's good to you!_

 _There's a lot of favors  
I'm prepared to do -  
You do one for Mama  
She'll do one for you!_

 _Don't you know that this hand  
washes that one too -  
When you're good to Mama  
Mama's good to you!_

"Bravo, Taylor! Brava! Lovely!"

And just like that, auditions were over. Some of the students milled about, but Darbus was dedicated to her clipboard—scribbling and making notes. Her posture had not changed when the theater emptied out.

Of course everyone was expecting callbacks. It was tradition and almost always necessary—to not do them would be absurd. It was, however, just what she was thinking. There were several things she'd noticed about the auditionees tonight.

One of the most obvious things was the sheer obviousness of casting—many of them were expecting certain roles if they got cast. Type-casting was with them, especially on this particular show. Frustrated, Darbus pulled all of her notes out from her clipboard and spread them out before her.

Taylor was prim, and educated—more than that, she was those things because it was what she loved. She was also stubborn, opinionated, and had trouble with anything that didn't feel productive.

Sharpay had not changed much over the years—though she did seem to be gaining a certain amount of restraint. There was no doubt in Ms. Darbus' mind that if tested in the slightest that restraint would snap like a flimsy rubber-band.

Ryan was certainly another story altogether. A beautiful transformation had begun in Ryan this past year, and it had started with Ryan taking a few steps away from Sharpay's side. For the most part, Sharpay had not noticed. He had more friends, something perhaps he had not admitted to himself that he wanted. He had more confidence, and he was being openly honest about who he was. It was refreshing. Though he did still seem to toe the line between himself, and his sister.

Kelsi Nielsen, Ms. Darbus had to admit, was one of her favorites. Never had a student taken such creative initiative, and she so hoped Kelsi wasn't working on something for the school year's second musical. If anything made Ms. Darbus worried, it was that nothing _ever_ seemed to be the matter with Kelsi. She was always willing to take the back seat, to open a door for someone else, to write music for _others_.

Troy Bolton was just a mess, and even he wasn't aware of it completely yet. Ms. Darbus wondered just how long it would take him to realize that he was on the fence about what he wanted to do with his life.

Then there was Gabriella, who seemed fine—though it felt like something was brewing underneath the surface there.

There was also the two, Troy and Gabriella—those two just seemed entirely too comfortable.

Chad Danforth... Now, _there_ was a true enigma.

Ms. Darbus tapped her pen against the table a few times, and realized she'd come to a very interesting conclusion. It would require sending a few emails, but if all went as planned, she'd have the cast list up in a few days.

* * *

Location:

East High School

The Bulletin Board

A Wednesday

"Yeah, I should start saving for a new fuel pump. This old girl is not sounding the best." Troy admitted sheepishly as he parked his truck in his designated spot.

"I'd recommend sooner rather than later—and maybe ask Chad to pick you up from now on." Giggled Gabriella, gathering up her bag from the floorboard.

By the time she'd unbuckled, Troy was already opening her door. Smiling again, Gabi fell into step beside him. When his hand slipped to hers, fingers interlacing, she looked up at him.

"Mom wants to have you over for dinner on Friday. Do you think the ol' girl will be able to make it?" Swinging their hands back and forth, she waved to a few members of the debate team as they crossed the threshold into the school.

"Uh, if she's making brownies I'll carry my truck on my shoulders to get there."

Their laughs were drowned out by a high-pitched, piercing scream. As it continued to pierce, they realized it belonged to Sharpay. Curiously, they let go of each others hands to turn the corner. Standing at the bulletin board was Sharpay—decked out in a glittery powder tank, and a white skirt. She'd finally stopped screaming and had switched to growling.

Gabriella gasped, grabbing Troy's arm in realization.

"Callbacks?!"

"Worse!" Exclaimed Sharpay, not even bothering to look over at them. "A cast list!"

"A cast list?" Troy repeated, not as shocked as Sharpay was, but shocked nonetheless. Troy and Gabi approached the board, curious to see what had Sharpay so upset.

Standing on either side of her, their faces instantly contorted in confusion as well.

"What?" Asked Troy, looking to Gabi, then to Sharpay, then back to the board.

"What's going on guys? Callbacks?" Ryan asked, having just come back from his locker he held only a notebook and a pencil.

" _You_." Sharpay whirled around to face her brother, her eyes locking with his instantly. It was a look that had been directed at many, but never at him. Ryan felt his head lean back in response, his face looking even more confused than Troy and Gabriella's.

"What's wrong? What's going on?"

* * *

 _Principal Cast List:_

 _ **Roger:** Gabriella Montez_

 _ **Mimi:** Troy Bolton_

 _ **Mark:** Sharpay Evans_

 _ **Collins:** Taylor McKessie_

 _ **Angel:** Kelsi Nielsen_

 _ **Maureen:** Ryan Evans_

 _ **Joanne:** Chad Danforth_

 _ **Benny:** Zeke Baylor_

 ** _The Waiter,_**

 ** _Squeegee Man,_**

 ** _Steve,_**

 ** _The Man,_**

 _ **and others:** Jason Cross_


	4. Scheming Out Loud

_**Author's Note: Man, this chapter really got away from me. I'd been keeping a pretty good schedule, and post close to once a week-but this chapter really came alive, and took a plot of it's own. It stumped me, vetoed some ideas, and pushed me forward in a direction I had considered. It's also the longest chapter so far. It warms my heart to see that people are enjoying my story, so I hope to find that you enjoy this chapter! Getting to read your thoughts is very important to me. This chapter also made me laugh out loud in a few places-I think it's my favorite so far.**_

* * *

Location:

East High School

The Bulletin Board

Right Where We Left Off

"Sharpay..." Gabriella said quietly, not quiet brave enough to step toward the female.

"Seriously, what's going on?" Ryan demanded, secretly beginning to feel a chill up his spine as his sister continued to stare him down. Despite that chill, heat rose as well, the top of his head beginning to feel like a sauna trapped underneath his bright yellow fedora.

" _See for yourself._ " Sharpay seethed, taking the tiniest step to the side. Troy compensated by taking a giant step to the side, making eye contact with Ryan before glancing at Gabriella.

Cautiously Ryan stepped forward to the bulletin board. He glanced over the cast list, and did a double take. _Gabriella as Roger?_ _But not a typo—Troy as Mimi, Kelsi as Angel..._ _**Maureen?**_ Ryan's back stiffened instantly as the realization came crashing down. The cast had been gender-swapped, and _he_ had gotten the part his sister wanted. Ryan had never gotten anything over his sister in his entire life.

"What's up, guys? Callbacks listed yet?" Kelsi asked, approaching the gang with Jason. She met eyes with Ryan's, whose eyes widened even further in warning.

Kelsi caught wind immediately, slowing down to a stop. She elbowed Jason in the stomach, causing him to stop as well.

"This is impossible! It's laughable!" Sharpay exclaimed, whirling around once again to face her brother. "That cast list is a joke! This entire show is a joke!"

"Shar..." Ryan winced, lifting his hands helplessly.

"No! It's a joke! You just got cast as a _lesbian_ , Ryan! And you!" Sharpay pointed a long, perfectly-manicured nail at Troy. Troy jumped as though it were a gun, lifting his hands up as Ryan had. "You've been cast as a _stripper_! And Gabriella as Roger?! Like she even knows what angst looks like!"

"Sharpay! Come on, it's not that bad..." Ryan tried, his voice quiet, reluctant.

"Oh, shut up, Ryan! This is hideous! What is Ms. Darbus thinking?!"

"Maybe it's a prank?" Ryan suggested hopefully, looking around at everyone present for back up. They weren't quite convinced.

"Are you actually being serious? Because if you are you're even more dimwitted than I thought! You've matched a yellow fedora with a knit vest, and you're wearing white shorts, Ryan! Every lead male you've ever managed to land has been right beside me, and now you've been chosen to play Maureen?! How does that even make sense!"

"I don't know." Ryan admitted, his voice strained and quiet. Jason stepped up to view the cast list, and Ryan moved out of the way uncomfortably. He was used to his sister's outbursts and insults, but it was particularly humiliating when it happened in front of others. It only made it worse that now these people considered him a friend.

"You don't know, well neither do I!"

"Sharpay, this is getting out of hand." Gabriella said finally, worried that if everyone just let her continue, she'd say things to her brother she'd never be able to take back.

"Oh of course, just step in and blind us all with your shining light of goodness. I'm sick of it!"

"Hey now-" Troy started, having crossed over to stand with his girlfriend.

"Shar..." Ryan tried again, reaching out to touch her arm. Sharpay jerked away.

"I mean it, Ryan! If you-"

"ARE YOU GUYS KIDDING ME?!"

Everyone froze, stunned. Almost instantaneously everyone turned to the bulletin board where Jason stood. His usually calm demeanor had disappeared as he glared at them all. Even Sharpay's mouth was still hung open in mid-yell, but she was too taken aback to continue on her rant just yet.

"You guys are flipping out because you didn't get the roles you wanted? Did you not _see_ all of the roles I got? None of that even matters! You guys are so thoughtless!" Jason shouted with even less concern for passing-by students than Sharpay had.

"What do you mean, Jason?" Kelsi asked sympathetically, stepping forward. She jolted at her role, but continued to read. It took her a second, but then she realized. Turning toward everyone else, Jason beat her to the punch.

"Martha's not on the list! Is she the only one that didn't get cast?"

The group seemed to inhale at the same time, but another pause ensued when no one really knew what to say.

"Hey!" As if she were scripted to come in at preciously that moment, Martha cheerfully ran up to her friends. "Guess what, everyone?! I'm choreographing the show!"

Equal amounts of relief and cheer washed through the group as they congratulated their friend. Sharpay remained indignant, but everyone chose to ignore it. Desperate for some good energy in the current situation, he was genuinely happy for Martha.

"Martha, that's so great! You're such an awesome dancer, this is going to be amazing!" He offered, smiling as Martha pulled him in for a hug, breaking off to hug Kelsi, then Gabriella.

"I can't believe it!" She gushed, waving to Zeke as he approached as well, "And I've already seen the cast list—I'm so excited! Kelsi, Today 4 U is gonna such a great song! And I honestly can't wait for Over the Moon, Ryan—you're gonna be a great Maureen—or I guess, Maurice, huh?"

Martha giggled, oblivious to what she'd just walked in on. Ryan smiled, grateful that _someone_ seemed to believe in him. He glanced at his sister, who jerked her shoulder away from Zeke's touch. She was going to burst again at any moment, he was sure. Martha didn't seem to notice still, making eye contact with Jason she smiled brightly.

"Walk me to my locker?" She asked him with a little giggle, and just like that Jason managed to escape the scene.

 _Lucky bastard_.

"Is everything alright, Sharpay?" Zeke asked quietly, his voice calm and gentle. He attempted to reach for her hand this time, which she balled into a fist in response.

"Nothing is fine! I've had enough of this! Ryan! You know this is ridiculous!"

"I beg your pardon?" Was she really about to do this? To him?

"Sharpay—" Troy started, but was cut short by a vicious growl from the crazed blonde.

"Argh—has everyone gone insane?! You—"

"Shar, did you ever stop and think that maybe you'll be a great Mark?" Ryan tried, but knew he wouldn't get through to her.

Sharpay was tired of not getting the roles that she wanted—this would be the third time in a row. Which, if Ryan could recall, it was the third out of three times in his entire life that Sharpay had not gotten her way. There was a part of him that felt bad for his sister, and that part of him was begging to just drop the part so that she could have it. But did he really want to fall back into that old pattern?

"Oh, you're not seriously thinking that you can pull this off, right?" Sharpay's voice had lowered, her entire demeanor had changed. Her tantrum had morphed into attack-mode. Cocking a hip to the side, she let a hand rest there as she jutted out her chin. "Ryan, you are everything Maureen isn't. I've never met anyone more introverted than you—and you give up so easily. Anytime anything is challenging you just drop out of it immediately."

"I disagree. I'm sorry, but the part was given to me and I'm going to do my best."

His voice was stern and calm, but on the inside it felt like his bowels were twisting inside-out. He'd never blatantly went against Shar before—this made the summer look like child's play. Not only that, Sharpay was really starting to get to him. They were more than siblings—they were best friends—how could she turn on him so ruthlessly?

"Your best? With _Chad Danforth_ as your Joanne? There's no way he's gonna stay on once he hears who his future make-out buddy is." Sharpay watched her brother tense, his face go pink, and went in for the kill. "Ryan, you'll never be able to pull a role like this off. Ms. D has obviously made a mistake and this entire fiasco needs to be sorted out. You need to drop out now before we're all screwed—I'm sure the whole thing with be re-cast and taken care of. You can let her know before homeroom. Now, Zeke—cookies?"

Her tone had become nonchalant, but Zeke looked at Sharpay with incredibly discomfort and horror. Sharpay returned the look with confusion, totally unaware of they turmoil she'd caused.

"No." Ryan said simply, and the meaning of it hung in the air. The silence that followed after was heavier than any of the words Sharpay had so easily let fall. Stunned, but poised for another confrontation, Sharpay turned to her brother.

"What?"

"You heard me!" Ryan exclaimed, gaining momentum. "You didn't get the part you wanted, Sharpay—you should be used to it by now."

Sharpay, Kelsi, and Gabriella all gasped at the same time, Zeke made a choking sound, and Troy lost his hands in his hair—Ryan wasn't done.

"But you know what I've never gotten used to? You treating me like a minion, like a useless pawn that only ever had value to you if you could use it. Well—theater isn't just your thing, it's mine, too. So I'm doing this. See you in rehearsal, Sharpay."

Ryan Evans stepped away from the group, and his sister, and walked calmly down the hall until he was out of sight. The reality of the situation still seemed lost on Sharpay, who continued to seethe. To her, this was just a battle lost.

Seeing an opportunity, Kelsi, Gabriella, and Troy quietly scurried away. Troy cast a glance at Zeke but there was no budging the boy away from Sharpay. Zeke looked down at her, and deep, deep, _deep_ inside he just knew that Sharpay had to be upset. There was no way all that anger came from no where.

"Sharpay...I can see that you're upset, but I think that if you just take a second you'll see that you've upset Ryan, too." Zeke was met with silence, and so he could think of nothing else to do but pull the cookies he'd made for Sharpay out of his backpack: he'd carefully stacked them in a small gift bag. "Maybe this will make you feel better—white chocolate and macadamia?"

Sharpay made another growling noise, and yanked the dainty bag from his hand. Her mouth was puckered up, but she was breathing heavily through her nose. Zeke reached for hand, but she jerked it away. He put his hand on her shoulder, and for a moment she stayed put. Sucking in a sharp breath, Sharpay stormed off.

* * *

Location:

East High School

In The Halls

Almost The Exact Same Time

"I feel like this is some kind of made-up thing that actually has no meaning."

"It's calculus, Chad. It's quite simple so long as you just follow the book." Taylor rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, but smiled despite herself. Normally this kind of thing would annoy her, but somehow Chad always seemed to make her feel more lighthearted.

"Man, thanks, Tay. I just couldn't get through the last two problems. I erased so much, I had to rewrite all of my homework on new paper." Shutting his homework in his math book, Chad stacked it on top of his notebooks, picking everything up.

"It's no trouble—although now I see how much you can get done without my help. You know, since we didn't hang out this weekend." She could be lighthearted as well, and the jab was just that—though, still a jab.

Chad grimaced, falling into step with Taylor when she pushed away from the window they'd been sitting at.

"I know, I know—I'm the worst ever—the absolute worst there ever was."

"You could have just said you were working on your audition with Ryan. It was a new experience for me as well, so I would have sympathized. It would have been better than not explaining yourself at all, in any case."

Chad was surprised by how well Taylor was handling it. She always handled everything well, in fact. Sometimes it could seem as though Taylor didn't really...well, feel anything. Or maybe she was just way more mature than he was? Chad couldn't be sure, as he preferred not to dwell on things. His girlfriend wasn't pissed at him? Score. That was pretty much all the thinking he figured the situation needed.

"I'm at your mercy." Chad announced with dramatic sorrow, giving a lavish bow.

"In that case—since I've heard you sing—I might just request a karaoke date." Taylor laughed, laughing harder as Chad's expression instantly darkened. "Did I say request? I meant order."

"Now wait—"

"A group date."

"Tay!"

Laughing, Taylor scurried forward away from Chad, weaving between passing students. Chad caught up with her easily, as she wasn't even really trying, and they turned the corner at the same time.

They froze in their tracks, their faces almost the exact same as they morphed into a mixture of shock and horror. For Chad, it felt like the bottom half of his mouth had turned to lead.

It wasn't exactly a horrifying scene—but it wasn't entirely innocent either. It was Jason and Martha, quaintly tucked into a corner-space where the lockers ended, but the wall kept going. Well, mostly Martha was tucked, her arms around Jason's neck. They were currently pressed together, making out in a way that would definitely merit a detention if they were caught. Suddenly Jason's arms moved to wrap more tightly around Martha, pulling her closer.

Chad's mouth snapped shut and he somehow managed to turn his head to look at Taylor—it relieved him to see that she was just as mortified as he was.

They both turned at the same time, heading back in the direction they had come from. Though they were calmly escaping, inside they were both freaking out. Chad's mind in particular was buzzing, close to ringing, in fact. Did all the couples in their group do that? Chad instantly mentally punched the image of Sharpay and Zeke out of his mind. Was that normal?

His relationship with Taylor looked nothing like that—but they had so much fun together...didn't they? In the beginning, Chad had thought it would be pretty cool to ask Taylor out. He'd never really had any friends that were girls, and it had surprised him how awesome she was. He liked spending time with her, and she seemed to like him, too. They'd kissed, but _nothing_ even related to what they'd just witnessed.

Did her silence mean she was thinking the same thing, or had she been wondering the entire time why their relationship didn't include that? Did this mean that all of the times the guys had talked about having fun on their dates, they'd actually been talking about something completely different? _Did that mean all of the guys thought_ _ **that**_ _was what he'd been talking about when he'd talked about his dates with Taylor?!_

Ready to explode, Chad just stopped walking. Taylor took one more step, but turned to face him, stopping as well.

"Well, that was unexpected." She said finally, the first to break the suffocating silence.

"Yeah." _Real eloquent, Danforth, way to go._

"...did you have any idea—?"

"—not a clue! So, you didn't know—?"

"Absolutely not! I knew they were a thing, but I didn't think things had progressed so quickly..."

"Yeah, I agree." Chad said immediately, relief washing over him. So Taylor considered Martha and Jason to be rushing—he was in the clear.

"Do you think...Troy and Gabriella...?"

"Um." _Shit._ He hadn't thought of that.

"I mean, of course, there's nothing wrong with that!" Taylor said quickly, hugging her books to her chest tightly.

"Oh, totally! Yeah. It's totally cool...yeah." Chad put his left hand against the locker for support, hoping to God he looked nonchalant.

"Absolutely! In this day and age it's incredibly common—and normal! You know, if that's what both parties in the situation are prepared for." Taylor leaned against the locker, facing Chad.

"Yeah, absolutely. Totally normal. Parties. Absolutely." Chad had kept his eyes locked on the wall, but moved to look down at Taylor.

So, it was normal. Totally normal. He and Tay were just a couple of normal teenagers in a normal hallway of a normal high school acting normal, right? Chad swallowed, and suddenly felt like an alien.

He leaned in closer to Taylor at the exact time a book slammed fiercely against the wall at the end of the hall. Chad and Taylor jumped apart like criminal offenders and looked at the book. The thrower had been around the corner. They watched as Ryan stormed up, snatched up his book and leaned against the wall, his forehead pressed against the white expanse.

"Ryan, what's wrong?" Taylor called as they both hurried to him.

Ryan seemed to tense at being seen by people that knew him, but after a few seconds he was able to collect himself.

"Hey guys, just dropped my book is all." He laughed awkwardly, but Chad wasn't buying it. Try as he might, Ryan wouldn't make eye contact with him. "You know, actually, congratulations are in order—the cast list is out. I'm surprised you haven't heard, actually."

"Oh my gosh!" Taylor pulled her phone from the pocket in her skirt, "You're right, Ryan! I've missed six calls from Gabriella! I'm so sorry, I need to go." Putting her phone to her ear, she bid the boys goodbye as she headed down the hall.

Chad watched Taylor as she disappeared around a corner, realizing that he'd probably just escaped and incredibly awkward lip-lock. They'd never kissed in public before, let alone in school.

Ryan moved to walk passed him, and this pulled Chad from the problems in his personal life.

"Dude, what's up? You seem down."

"It's fine." Ryan persisted, attempting to move passed Chad once again, who had stepped in front of him. Chad moved again, and Ryan fought lashing out—he would not be his sister. "Okay...the casting didn't go as expecting, and Sharpay wasn't happy about it."

"Oh." By the look on Ryan's face, he'd expecting something...worse. Though it _was_ Sharpay. He could imagine that having her as a sister would be draining. "So, she didn't get Maureen. I bet she threw a fit—no wonder you seem so wiped."

"Well, it's more complicated than that..." Ryan's face strained, his mouth grim in a thin line as if what he was about to say was struggling to come out. "I got Maureen."

"Huh?" Of anything he'd anticipated, Chad hadn't seen that coming, "How is that even possible?"

"Well, all of the principal cast is gender-swapped. Except Benny—Zeke got that role."

"Wow. So, then who did Sharpay get?"

"Mark."

"Oh, man, I know that's the role you wanted. I'm sorry." Chad offered, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Ryan paused for a second, his eyes widening slightly. He looked as if no one had ever said anything like that to him before. If that was the case, Chad was incredibly glad he'd said it now. He felt a smile spread across his face as Ryan smiled brightly at him.

"Thanks. That actually means a lot." But then the light flickered, and Chad felt his gut twinge, "But actually, there is something you should know..."

"Yeah?"

"You didn't get Collins, you got Joanne."

"I got cast as a lesbian?" The question escaped his mouth before he could stop it. No, of course he realized the situation. He was playing a gay man—something he thought he'd be ready to deal with if he got cast as Collins. But this was different. And if Ryan was Maureen...

"We already talked about this a little when you worked on your audition—you seemed kind of okay then. This isn't going to be a problem is it?

Chad knew his silence wasn't what Ryan wanted to hear, but he couldn't quite form words. The warning bell was his savior.

"We need to get to class."

* * *

Location:

East High School

The Cafeteria

Meatloaf Wednesday

Once upon a time the cafeteria at East High had been the pennicale of everything high school stood for. It had been a place to define boundaries, to create glass-ceilings among the many subcategories of students, as well as keep all of the underclassmen in their place. Sometimes it felt, to Sharpay, that she was the only one who longed for those days to return.

On this particular day most _them_ chose to sit on the lower level—which was reminiscent of the golden days. The trouble was they were all sitting _together_ : including Ryan. She couldn't pretend to be surprised, what with their little tiff that morning, but it didn't annoy her any less.

It also meant that her lunch hour was extremely dull. She'd spent most of it in silence, in fact. The hour was half over and she'd finally given into her curiosity by walking over to the railing and peering down. It didn't satisfy her in the least, and she needed to rant.

Sharpay snapped her fingers and in a flash her freshman assistant Tiara was at her side.

"It's borderline criminal is what it is—look at them. Look at _him_."

"Just to be clear, Ms. Sharpay, we are currently talking about your brother?" Tiara asked, her arms behind her back, looking down at all the students below.

"Of course! How could he just decide to keep the part? He knows that Maureen and I are so similar I might as well be method acting!"

Tiara remained carefully silent, unsure what to say exactly. She settled on, "Right."

"What Ryan needs...is a distraction."

Sharpay narrowed her eyes, deep in thought. It was then that the perfect moment happened. Some of the dutiful little gang she'd been spying on dispersed. Kelsi departed, with Troy and Gabriella following. Then Ryan shot up, closely mirrored by Chad—both of them seemed to be desperate to leave the room.

Chad and Ryan stormed passed the soccer team's table. Justin Fitzgerald, the team's center forward—or whatever it was called—casually glanced in the boys' retreating direction. No one at his table noticed, but Sharpay saw the lingering in Justin's watchful eye.

"Tiara, did you happen to see Justin Fitzgerald checking out some passing-boy-butt?" Sharpay asked, her head tilting sassily as a plan formed in her head.

"My word, I believe I just did. That just happened, didn't it?"

"Tiara!" Sharpay barked, turning to her tiny assistant, "I've found the answer to my problem—I've found Ryan's distraction: his first boyfriend. Now that I've seen it, I totally remember there being talk about him 'swinging for boy's team' if you know what I mean. That _also_ means you have an assignment. Today, find the perfect moment to approach Justin about Ryan."

"But...what should I say?" Tiara asked quickly, not too sure about this, "I don't think he'll even know me."

"Then tell him I sent you, whatever." Sharpay rolled her eyes, did she really have to connect all the dots? "Embellish a little! Tell him Ryan saw him checking him out, or that Ryan's been checking him out! Justin's single, Ryan's single—it's perfect!"

Sharpay smiled brightly, her voice rising several octaves in happiness. She waited several more seconds but still Tiara had not departed.

"What are you waiting for? _Evaporate small person!_ "

Meanwhile, the gang down below was not having as peachy a time as Sharpay would have painted. There were more than a few apprehensions involving the casting, but few really knew how to share. Not only that, it was usually hard to express feelings without hurting the feelings of others.

"Thanks a lot." Kelsi said quietly as she sat down her half-eaten sandwich.

"I'm sorry Kelsi," Taylor sounded more anxious than apologetic, "I'm just being honest. I feel uncomfortable about this entire thing. It's not just because of the lesbian thing—Collins is a lazy, anarchist that's pro-marijuana. How could I even be the slightest bit comfortable with any of that?"

"Oh yeah? Well, I freaked out when I saw that I got Angel, ya know. The character's going to be completely different now, _and_ I'm supposed to play a female that identifies as a straight male who falls in love with a female. But, when I saw that Collins was going to be played by a friend, I felt relief." Kelsi looked down at her tray, suddenly not feeling so hungry.

Taylor remained silent, looking a bit ashamed. Chad put down his empty milk cartoon and tried to smooth the waters—truthfully he was itching to share his worries, too.

"Look, Kelsi—I don't think Taylor feels this way because it's you specifically. I think if it were any female she'd just feel awkward about it. If I'm being honest, I'm uncomfortable that I've been cast as Joanne."

"Seriously?!" Ryan's fork clanged as it dropped to his tray. "How many times have I asked if you were okay?"

"Look, Ryan, I think we're all just a little nervous..." Troy looked at everyone before setting his eyes on Ryan's. Attempting to play peacemaker, he decided to be honest as well, "I mean, I got Mimi—I'm not sure if I'm comfortable either. She's a stripper—I've been cast as a stripper."

"But you were fine when you thought I might get Mimi?" Gabriella asked, her brows knit as she looked at Troy with annoyance.

"Whoa, guys!" Exclaimed Zeke, zipping up the lunch bag he brought from home, "It's awkward, yes—but it's acting. And really, aren't you guys lucky because it's a cast of people you trust?"

A reluctant silence filled the table, because technically Zeke wasn't wrong.

"Plus," He began with a more casual tone, taking a calm sip of his apple juice, "If you keep fighting then you're totally pulling a Sharpay." The weight of his statement dropped harder than Thor's hammer.

"Damn." Jason said finally, giving his friend an appreciative fist bump. "Also—I have more than five parts." He stated simply before taking a bite of his apple.

"You're right, man—Kelsi, could Gabi and I go over some of Mimi and Roger's songs with you?" Troy asked, picking up Gabriella's tray and putting it under his. He cast Gabriella an apologetic look, which Gabi met with a forgiving smile.

"Sure, no problem." Kelsi smiled as she got up to leave with them, not before casting a tiny glance toward Taylor.

Ryan was not satisfied. Maybe it was the fact that his pride had already been considerably bruised today—but Chad had delivered a blow he couldn't quite shake.

"I'm just confused—you spent almost the entire Saturday at my house working on your audition. But you actually didn't want to be in the musical in the first place?

"It's not that." Chad insisted, sounding genuine, "I just didn't think that...well..."

"I mean, you were pretty much up for Collins—you knew that you were most likely going to be playing a gay character no matter what."

"To be honest," Chad already felt regret, but there was no taking it back now, "I kind of hoped I'd get Benny..." Chad braced himself because it was almost as if he could hear Ryan snapping.

" _We worked on your song for hours just so you could get Benny?!_ " As if disgusted, Ryan snatched up his tray and left the table.

He felt like he had had enough socializing for one day. If anything, he was seriously considering calling for a ride home—his head was throbbing bad enough to warrant it, in any case.

Ryan had made it to the hallway by the time Chad finally caught up to him. Truthfully, he'd followed Ryan but hadn't stopped him because he wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't sure why he'd felt the need to rush after him, but he couldn't let Ryan walk away.

"Don't get mad at me!" Chad finally blurted, running in front of Ryan and forcing him to stop, "Look, this isn't my thing! I didn't even want to do it in the first place!"

Ryan looked around, and saw that they were alone. It was this privacy that caused him not to hold back—a privilege not afforded to him earlier in the day.

"That is _bullshit_." Chad's eyes widened in shock, and Ryan would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it, "You totally _loved_ learning that song, you _loved_ singing it! You had a blast! You even canceled on Taylor so you could keep singing! But don't even think about getting mad at me—no one made you sign up!"

"Oh!" Chad exclaimed, his mouth open in shock. He looked around in disbelief, before sucking in a breath so sharp it was almost a gasp. His mouth closed, it opened again, then closed. Utterly flabbergasted, he stepped in a tiny circle, his adrenaline pulsing. No one made him sign up?! There was only one thing he could think to say:

"Pft!"

"Excuse me?" Ryan's eyebrows rose in challenge. In response, Chad rolled his eyes dramatically, and took a step forward.

" _Pft!_ "

"And what is that supposed to mean?!" Ryan demanded, shifting all of his weight to one foot and resting his hands on his hips.

"You are totally to blame! This was all you!" Chad demanded, pointing an accusatory finger.

"I didn't even ask you! Kelsi was the one that brought it up!"

"Again, I say 'Pft!'" Chad took a step forward, then mimicked Ryan's stance, "You stood right in front of me acting all sassy and totally calm! You looked me right in the eye and you _knew_ what you were doing—you didn't say it, but you totally _**said**_ it! You know!" Chad wiggled his fingers frantically in front of his eyes before doing the same to Ryan's eyes—the blonde got the point and promptly smacked the hand out of his face. Chad took another step. "You looked right at me! Your eyes said: _Do it. I dare you. You too chicken? I dare you._ "

Silence. At first Chad felt satisfaction because he knew he was right. Ryan looked down, his mouth spread thin. More satisfaction—Ryan knew he was right! Chad was about to insist he admit it, but then Ryan's gaze flicked back up to his.

 _Hey, batter, batter,_

 _Hey, batter, batter,_

 _What?_

Chad blinked, and in a flash his mind brought up the image of Martha and Jason from that morning. Like he'd been slapped he looked away from Ryan, his eyes on the ground.

"So, are you giving up? Without even trying?" Ryan asked, semi-defeated already. It was a shame, because he knew for a fact that their duet would have sounded awesome.

Chad remained silent, and Ryan realized how upset he looked.

"Chad? Are you feeling okay?"

Chad didn't know how to respond—he could barely hear Ryan over the sound of his own heart pounding. When Ryan took a step forward, Chad jerked back, seriously disturbed. He met Ryan's eyes again, only this time there was no angst in the bright blues, only concern.

"I'm not a quitter." Chad blurted, unsure if the twinge in his stomach was sickness or something else, "I need to go to my locker."

He might not be a quitter, but Chad was man enough to admit that he was really great at running.


	5. Blood Is Thicker

**Author's Note: At the risk of being cliche, I'll go ahead and open up this chapter with an apology. I've got tons of excuses for not uploading. College punched me in the face, for awhile it was looking like I wouldn't be able to afford to go back this next fall-I just had a lot on my mind. I would like to point out that I _did_ write this entire chapter-and then Microsoft Word crashed. It didn't even save any progress files, ya'll, I was devastated. It gave me pain to even try and write this chapter again for the longest time-as I'm sure you can tell. But I missed this story, I missed HSM, and I missed writing. I hope you're all still there, and you still want to find out how Senior Year really went.**

 **Lastly, I'd like to apologize to: Ellieg1a,** **to-the-trees, and to all the readers who added this story to their favorites or alerts. You don't know this, but I have always promptly thanked any reader that does this, or comments, with a personal message. I've been away, and for the first time neglected to do this-I hate that the most, and it was your love of this story that gave me the courage to pick it back up again after I'd sat it down for so long.**

 **There is some harsh language in this chapter, it's a doozy-I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Location:**

 **East High School**

 **Friday**

 **A Practice Room**

"Tom Collins: computer genius, teacher, and vagabond anarchist who ran naked through the Parthenon." Taylor read, looking at the script as she sat on the floor of the practice room, "While to me that sounds highly improbable, it also is quite a moniker to live up to."

Taylor looked up to Kelsi, who was halfheartedly plucking at a few keys on the piano. Kelsi pulled her script from her bag, joining her friend on the floor.

"I didn't get a chance to read the entire script." Kelsi stretched her legs out, sitting across from Taylor.

"I read the entire thing," Admitted Taylor, "The speech Darbus gave us when she passed these out yesterday was a little intimidating. I love a good challenge, but I got incredibly nervous." As she spoke, Taylor fiddled with the corner of a random page. It wasn't easy for her to admit this, but if she was going to, who better than the one playing Angel?

"I know what you mean—I get all panicky when I think about it. But after begging everyone to do it, I can't exactly quit." Kelsi laughed at the irony of it, but the laugh became a sigh as the anxiety crept up again. "Angel is such a beautiful character. If that wasn't heavy enough, this gender swap casting makes Angel completely different. It makes Angel a man. It's interesting, it's intimidating. Plus, Angel is important to all of the other characters because of the way he reaches out to all of them without reserve—I'm not exactly the best at that."

Kelsi flipped through her script aimlessly, her lines already highlighted in bright blue. Taylor looked at her thoughtfully, her words rolling through her mind. The pressure was on everyone in the cast, even Kelsi.

"Kelsi," Taylor began, hesitant on where to begin, "I want to apologize about Wednesday. I shouldn't have just announced in front of everyone the way I felt about being cast as Collins. As soon as I felt uncertain, I should've talked to you about it—you're the person that has to kiss me, after all. It was rude."

"It's okay, Taylor."

"No, it's not." Taylor insisted, sitting up straighter, "I don't know why I acted so thoughtlessly. I think I was just freaking out a little and was looking for a way to justify getting out of it. I'm really sorry, Kelsi."

"Forgiven." Kelsi stated with a smile, "We definitely shouldn't dwell on the negative anyway—we're gonna need each other. If we were nervous before, Darbus has done a wonderful job at multiplying our worries."

"It was so scary, right?!" Taylor exclaimed, slapping her script closed, "The woman usually has a dramatic flair, but she is no-nonsense when it comes to the rehearsal process."

"I know." Kelsi let out an exasperated breath, "Normally I'm on the production side so I don't get that much of the heat. Darbus is no joke, I promise. From the first rehearsal everything will be really intense. She doesn't waste any time. I'll start work on my mannerisms, Troy will definitely have to get very uncomfortable with himself during his song, and all of the kissing will be in immediately."

They lapsed into a reluctant silence, brooding on the tasks that lay before them.

"You know; I think you'll be a good Collins." Kelsi offered finally, setting her script to the side and hugging her knees to her chest. The hems of her burnt orange, sleeveless vest splayed out on either side of her, simultaneously clashing and contrasting with the purple t-shirt she wore.

"Thanks, but I don't know." Taylor sighed, fiddling with the bright green tie she'd matched with the olive green skirt she was currently wearing.

"Well, think about it this way: Collins is obviously intellectual. He's incredibly smart. He's very sure of himself—and he accepts Angel for who she is, so he's all for equality. He's opinionated, and definitely not afraid to express all of the opinions he's got. _And_ , whether you agree with his opinions or not, they're well thought-out—he didn't just decide to agree with someone, he formed them all on his own."

"True." Taylor stated, her eyebrows raising as she thought about it, "That's very true! I've been using all the wrong words, haven't I? I've thought he was reckless, thoughtless, irresponsible—and the pro-marijuana thing has really been a hang up for me."

"Oh, come on," Kelsi laughed, "I think the biggest obstacle you'll face in being Collins is being less uptight."

"Kelsi!" Taylor exclaimed, her mouth hanging open while she fought back a grin, "It's true... I'm definitely uptight."

"Nah, more like hard-headed." Kelsi laughed again, scooting back to dodge Taylor's swatting hand.

"Okay! Then let's talk about you as Angel!" Taylor decided, on her knees now, she put her hands on her hips, "The biggest challenge you'll face is second-guessing yourself. You _almost_ reach out, but you yank yourself back—you'll have to stop doing that. Which is fine because I'd love to see more of you."

Taylor smiled as she said it, used to speaking her mind. Kelsi was very introverted, something she'd always highly respected. However, Kelsi had a lot to offer, and sometimes Taylor just wished that Kelsi would be more open and step into the spot light a few times.

Kelsi looked up at her thoughtfully, and Taylor felt her own smile soften. Then Kelsi's face changed into a bright smile, and she looked as if she wasn't used to people encouraging her. Taylor felt her heart soften as well, and when the urge to hug the smaller girl overcame her she crossed the little distance between them and did just that.

"We should definitely practice a little though—or else we warmed up for nothing." Taylor laughed, picking her script up as she stood.

"Okay!" Kelsi smiled, jumping up with her script as well.

Collins and Angel have a sweet and beautiful romance that's best presented in their duet I'll Cover You. Both girls were excited to get the chance to sing it, but that didn't make the pressure any less heavy. Some of the character's relationships in the musical were riddled with turmoil and angst—not so with Collins and Angel. Their relationship was like a breath: calming, and very grounding for the both of them. The duet was an important expression for the characters, and the girls.

"Don't play it on the piano." Taylor said suddenly, on a whim, "Let's use the back track on your phone. You're not piano for this show after all."

Kelsi seemed to hesitate, her comfort zone threatened. Finally, after a momentary lip-biting session, she managed a nervous, "Okay."

They had half of their free period left, which enabled them to practice the song several times. Despite their good intentions, working through it at the start was awkward. When they'd managed to pick up a good rhythm, it still felt rigid. Finally, Taylor sat her script down, taking Kelsi's away from hers as well. Hitting play on the song once more, Taylor smiled as the plan formulated in her mind. Kelsi looked nervous once again, but began the song regardless.

 ** _ANGEL_**

 _Live in my house,_

 _I'll be your shelter,_

 _Just pay me back_

 _With one thousand kisses_

 _Be my lover_

 _and I'll cover you_

Taylor stepped up to Kelsi, curling her arm around hers. As she began her verse, she led Kelsi around the room. Gesturing with her free hand, Taylor sang with a wide smile, trying to really feel the words of her verse.

 ** _COLLINS_**

 _Open your door,_

 _I'll be your tenant_

 _Don't got much baggage to lay at your feet_

 _But sweet kisses I've got to spare_

 _I'll be there and I'll cover you_

 ** _BOTH_**

 _I think they meant it when they said you can't buy love_

 _Now I know you can rent it_

 _A new lease you are my love, on life_

 _Be my life_

Getting into the silliness, still arm-in-arm, they skipped the expanse of the room as they sang together. Stopping, the broke apart, standing in front of one another.

 ** _BOTH_**

 _Just slip me on,_

 _I'll be your blanket_

 _Wherever, whatever,_

 _I'll be your coat_

Grinning, Kelsi took Taylor's hand. Holding it tightly, she confidently continued to the next verse.

 ** _ANGEL_**

 _You'll be my Queen, and I'll be your castle_

Returning her smile, Taylor took Kelsi's other hand. Her pulse rushed, and when their voices blended together, it soared.

 ** _COLLINS_**

 _No, you'll be my King, and I'll be your moat_

 ** _BOTH_**

 _I think they meant it when they said you can't buy love_

 _Now I know you can rent it_

 _A new lease you are my love, on life_

 _All my life_

 _I've longed to discover_

 _Something as true as this is_

 ** _COLLINS (With ANGEL)_**

 _So with a thousand sweet kisses—I'll cover you_

 _With a thousand sweet kisses—I'll cover you_

 _When you're worn out and tired,_

 _When your heart has expired_

 ** _ANGEL (With COLLINS)_**

 _If you're cold and you're lonely_

 _You've got one nickel only_

 _With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you,_

 _With a thousand sweet kisses, I'll cover you_

 ** _BOTH_**

 _Oh, lover,_

 _I'll cover you,_

 _Yeah,_

 _Oh, lover,_

 _I'll cover you..._

As the song faded away, both girls smiled at one another, slightly out of breath from singing. Both girls knew that that had been the best performance of the song they'd given so far. Taylor's heart raced at the realization of it, for the first time ever she'd understood the rush of it all.

As the silence continued, they broke physical contact, their hands falling to their sides. Smiling awkwardly, both girls knew that in the script this was when Angel and Collins shared a sweet, onstage kiss.

The silence continued, until a giggle escaped Taylor.

"It still feels kind of…" She trailed off, completely comfortable with Kelsi while also slightly bashful.

Kelsi grinned once again, not offended in the slightest. One corner of her mouth rose higher as she contemplated an alternative.

"I know!" She exclaimed, gently lifting up Taylor's right hand and placing a kiss on the top of her knuckles. "This is a good start."

"I agree." Taylor smiled pleasantly, taking Kelsi's hand and returning the gesture.

* * *

 **Location:**

 **East High School**

 **Later that day**

 **In the halls**

Ryan used all of his might to hold back a sigh. It was a sigh he'd refused to give in to all day, and he wasn't about to let it win now. Yesterday had been the worst, but today had only been marginally better.

Sharpay had instantly switched back to normal behavior after her tantrum on Wednesday. She'd been a little huffy in homeroom, but by the time classes had ended she'd been barking orders at him like normal. Today, he was to be ready to leave as soon as the read-through was finished, no dilly-dallying. It was on the tip of his tongue to call the family driver, but it felt like such a bother. He'd always relied on Sharpay to drive him everywhere—for as long as he could remember wherever he wanted to go was always where Sharpay was going anyway…

The sigh snuck up on him again and it almost slipped past. Just as he was sucking in a breath, the squeak of sneakers came echoing down the hall. Looking up, Zeke, Jason, and Chad burst out of the double-doors of the gym laughing about something. There bags were slung over the shoulders, their hair wet from an after-practice shower.

Despite himself Ryan slowed a little, not quite comfortable enough to approach them outright. He liked them but he couldn't claim to have a lot in common with any of them, the sport bags in their hands like giant signs reminding him of the fact. There was also the fact that he was pretty sure that Chad was either mad at him, or grossed out at the thought of having to play his love interest.

"Hey, Ryan!" Jason called, motioning him over. Surprised, Ryan hesitated for just a second as the three of them stared at him. Smiling, he approached.

"Hey guys! …how was practice?" _God, Ryan pull it together. Stop fidgeting!_

"The usual—but now the fatal read-through approaches." Zeke said, moving to stand at Ryan's left, putting him in the middle of the guys. Chad, at the far right of the group, remained silent.

"Nervous?" Ryan asked, feeling more confident since the conversation had approached a topic he knew he could talk about.

"Don't even think about complaining Zeke—you have _one_ role." Jason joked, giving a visible shudder, "I didn't even count the number I have. I looked through the script, and I'm in it an obscene amount."

"It's true you're actually singing a _lot_." Ryan commented, already pretty familiar with the script. Jason did have a lot of roles, and he wondered if Darbus was going with the idea that it might create a light joke if Jason kept showing up on stage as different characters—or maybe she just had a sicker sense of humor than he ever gave her credit for.

"Singing." Zeke said, shaking his head as they approached the auditorium double-doors, "Now that has got me nervous. I mean, I guess I did alright, but except for auditions I haven't exactly performed for an audience before."

"Sure you have." Ryan quipped, adjusting the white book bag on his shoulders, "You've been in tons of games."

Zeke and Jason made noises of appreciation at this thought, mulling it over, and Ryan felt a sense of pride wash over him; he was helping. Chad remained silent.

"I never thought of it like that—you're right!" Zeke brightened considerably, tossing his basketball up in the air and catching it. "Well, I feel better! Let's do this!"

"Oh man!" Jason exclaimed, dropping his bag to the floor, rifling through the side pockets frantically. "I think I left my cell phone in the gym. Maybe. I can't find it. Maybe I left in a class?"

"Again? We should put a sign up for you, Jay."

"C'mon, let's go look in the gym first. We should hurry." Chad tapped Jason on the shoulder, and the two left their bags on the floor as they jogged down the hall.

This left Ryan and Zeke standing together outside the auditorium. Looking down both ends of the hall, Ryan saw that no one was around and no one appeared to be coming. The awkwardness was quickly approaching neck-level, but he couldn't think of what they should talk about.

"So," Zeke took the plunge, breaking the silence, "How's Sharpay?"

"Oh, you know…" What was there to say about Sharpay? A question that seemed to haunt his life. "She's pretty much the same as always."

"Yeah…I figured." Then suddenly Zeke turned to him, catching Ryan off guard, "Look, I know no one knows her better than you, but I just want to say that I thought she was really unfair to you. I don't think she understands how she can be, and I want—"

"Please don't—don't apologize for my sister's behavior." Ryan said firmly, no malice in his voice, "I appreciate it, Zeke, but… My whole life I have apologized for her, and I think…I think it ruined her."

The silence hung between them, and Ryan kind of wished he'd never said it. It was the first negative thing he'd ever said out loud about his sister, and Zeke was definitely her boyfriend. Still, Ryan found himself pressing on.

"So, as a former employee of Sharpay Evans, I really advise that you never take up that job. It's not worth it, Zeke."

"I don't know what to say." Zeke said bluntly, surprising Ryan at how genuine he was being.

"Thank you, though. It means a lot, truly." Ryan smiled despite himself, because he found that Zeke's actions did warm his heart a little. Normally people pitied him, but Ryan felt as though maybe Zeke understood him. After all, they both loved her for some unknown reason—though maybe Zeke was just a little crazier than he.

A movement at the far end of the hall caught his eye and Ryan tensed up—but it wasn't Sharpay, just the soccer team bounding around the corner. Not wanting to risk seeing Sharpay before the read-through, Ryan decided he'd be better off to go ahead inside the auditorium.

"Hey man, I think I'm gonna head in, I don't want—"

Both boys were looking at each other, so they did not get time to prepare themselves. Justin Fitzgerald, with the rest of the soccer team in tow, had marched himself up to them and promptly punched Ryan in the face.

Unaware, and in general unaccustomed to being punched in the face, Ryan immediately lost his balance. Justin stepped forward quickly and caught Ryan by the collar of his pastel dress shirt. Pulling his fist back for another hit, Zeke's hand shot out to catch his wrist.

"Justin! What the hell, man?" Zeke demanded, moving to put himself in front of the action. Justin's crew immediately stepped forward, yanking Zeke back.

"Stay out of this." Justin turned to Ryan, whose eyes were wide with shock. "Listen up, Evans. You better keep your mouth shut about me—I'm not gay!"

"What?" Ryan blurted, practically sputtering. He wasn't even sure he'd ever spoken to Justin in his entire high school career.

"People are talking about us, and it's disgusting! They're saying I checked out your ass."

"Did you?" It was pure reaction. The question left him before he could contain it, and Ryan definitely hadn't meant it to sound accusatory. Tensing up, he tried to take it back, but Justin's face was already flush with rage.

"Fag!" Justin threw another punch, hitting Ryan squarely in the face and without regret.

Ryan immediately crumbled to the ground. Kicking him in the side, Ryan's body jerked in response, and Justin's next kick hit him in the chest.

"Oh, hell nah!" Zeke shouted, quickly recovering from the shock of what was happening. He lunched forward towards Zeke and managed to close a fist in his shirt, but the soccer flunkies dove in to help their team mate.

Someone's elbow jabbed into Zeke's temple, and even though he saw stars he turned around and immediately threw a punch. Struggling as multiple people pulled at him, Zeke could make out the heap of Ryan on the floor, struggling against Justin and his fists. Try as he might, Zeke couldn't make his way through the crowd of athletes.

It was only minutes for Zeke and Ryan, but it felt like ages before Jason and Chad returned. They'd heard the commotion echoing in the halls and had run to the war scene.

"Knock it off!" Chad shouted immediately, annoyance filling him as he watched two guys yank at Zeke. Pulling one guy off, Chad finally caught sight of Ryan and it was as if his entire body went cold. "Knock it off _now!_ "

As Jason and Zeke fended off members of the soccer team, Chad plunged himself into the thick of the fight. Grabbing onto Justin, he yanked him with all his might, tossing him across the hall and flat on his face. Kneeling down beside Ryan, Chad reached out to touch Ryan's shoulder. Ryan was hunched over, covering himself and at the feel of contact began jerking away. Chad realized that Ryan thought he was Justin, or one of his friends.

"Ryan—Ryan, it's okay." Chad said quietly, gingerly slipping his hand to the back of Ryan's neck, he helped his friend sit up.

Shaking, Ryan had a bloody nose and a busted lip. The blood dribbled down his chin onto his shirt. Ryan looked up at Chad, his eyes glassy. Chad held on tighter.

"I don't—I didn't—" Ryan sputtered, too shaken to form coherent thoughts. His voice broke as he gripped Chad's arms for leverage.

"It's alright. It's alright, Ryan." Chad insisted, looking at him earnestly. He'd never seen Ryan look like this—he wanted to knock out Justin's front teeth. Why was he doing this, anyway? Looking at the chaos, Chad erupted again. " _STOP IT!"_

"Yeah, c'mon guys! Stop fighting!" Jason yelled out, currently laying across two of the soccer players as they tried to escape him.

"Yes! I quite agree!" And as if someone had hit pause, all the chaos froze. Every pair of eyes turned to look upon Ms. Darbus, standing beside Troy, Gabriella, Taylor, and Kelsi. In the silence, the slam of the auditorium doors seemed almost deafening.

Looking down her nose at the young athletes in front of her, Darbus' eyes finally fell upon the sight of Ryan's face. Her exterior remained impassive, but on the inside she had to resist the urge to line up the soccer team and give a good smacking to each of them—she was still a teacher.

"Soccer team, line up. Now."

Slowly, regretfully, the boys shuffled around until they were all side-by-side. Chad stayed down on the floor with Ryan, keeping his gaze down, fuming. He dared anyone to tell him to rise. This wasn't their fault; it was all _those_ guys.

"I believe it is not so late the principal has gone home. You hooligans follow me." The soccer team didn't dare groan, though Justin looked like he still wanted to attack, "As for my Rent cast—we'll have to cancel today. Come prepared for the read-through on Monday afternoon."

Moving over to Ryan, Ms. Darbus helped Chad lift him to his feet. At this point, embarrassment had set in for the poor blond so he immediately stood up straight, stepping away from them. Chad tried to continue helping him, and as Ryan stepped farther away Chad held back the twinge he felt in his stomach, unsure of what it was.

"Ryan," Darbus said, her voice quiet, "The school nurse is off-duty today. I suggest you go home and rest, unless you feel anything is broken. The principal will want to speak with you on Monday, I'm sure."

Ryan said nothing, and in this silence everyone became aware of a distant _click, click, click_ coming from the around the corner. Without a care in the world Sharpay sashayed herself down the hall, swinging her bag. Once she turned and her eyes landed on the scene before her she stopped short, confused. Looking around at how serious everyone looked, she finally spotted her brother and gasped.

Darbus motioned for the soccer team to follow her and wordlessly passed by Sharpay. Making eye contact with Justin, Sharpay felt dread bloom inside of her. She didn't get long to dwell on her mistake, however.

" _You._ Tell your British little lackey to stay the hell away from me—and your fagget brother, too." His voice was vicious, but quiet. Not so quiet, however, that the gang hadn't heard the exchange.

"Ryan." Panicking, Sharpay quickly approached, but he slapped away her hand.

"What did you do?" Ryan demanded, the emotion hardening his voice as much as shaking it.

Wide-eyed, Sharpay was for once at a loss for words. She watched as everyone present slowly shifted to stand behind Ryan, the indication clear though probably not intentional.

"Why would you tell Tiara to go talk to Justin about me? And to spread lies like that?" Ryan pressed on, refusing to take silence from Sharpay despite the fact he'd wished for it so many times.

"I-I didn't tell her to lie! It wasn't a lie—really. I—"

"Did you know this would happen?"

"Ryan, how can you ask that?" Sharpay was floored, but it was clear in the expression on Ryan's face—he didn't trust her. Did she even deserve to be trusted? Pushing the guilt away immediately, Sharpay gave her brother an innocent look, "No! I thought he liked you—and you have so much free time, I—"

"Free time?" Sharpay had made another mistake, she realized this as the realization dawned on Ryan's face. The light in his eyes completely disappeared. "You thought if a guy showed interest in me, I'd throw myself at him, and be too busy for the show?"

"Ryan, no!" But Sharpay couldn't think of an excuse, and her silence was damning her. She couldn't think of anything to say. She couldn't even think of a way to blame this on someone else.

"You schemed against me—to get rid of me." Ryan's tone had completely changed, and he looked at her with such disappointment Sharpay felt her heart begin to race. "I am so _tired_ of you treating me this way! Of treating people this way! _Ah—_ " As his voice rose his body tensed, and the pain stabbed in his stomach and chest.

"Be careful, Ryan." Gabriella stepped up, resting her hand gently on her friend's shoulder. Ryan was grateful, but he couldn't express it. Looking at his sister, he just felt so unbelievably tired and betrayed.

"Sharpay, unless it's at rehearsal, in character, don't talk to me."

Shock rippled through everyone, not just Sharpay.

"What?" Sharpay gasped, but got no answer. Ryan turned to Gabriella.

"Gabbi, I don't want to be at home right now—"

"Say no more, you can home with me. We'll get you cleaned up." Gabriella said, glancing at Sharpay sympathetically.

"Yeah, I'll drive." Troy volunteered, his voice supportive. Things were getting awkward fast, so he really wanted to get out of there as quick as possible.

"Ryan—" Sharpay tried again, but to no avail.

"Thank you, Troy, Gabriella."

"I'm coming, too." Chad announced, stepping forward.

" _Ryan—_ "

Ryan turned to the rest of group, offering them a smile, a painful, dried-bloody smile.

"You guys are totally not obligated to come with us. I'll be okay."

Kelsi and Taylor both hugged Ryan gently, the rest of the gang telling him to feel better. Finally, Ryan turned to Zeke. Zeke had sustained minimal damage, and while he wasn't bloody, he probably had a few bruises.

"Thank you." Ryan said, trying not to get too emotional. After what had just happened to him, he really didn't want to feel any more girly than he already did.

Zeke held out a hand, and even though Ryan was under the impression they were going to shake hands, Zeke slapped his palm against Ryan's before brandishing the little handshake with a few more gestures. It was so silly, so… _bro_ , it actually made him feel better.

"Ryan!" Sharpay's voice shook, and everyone went silent again—they couldn't even look at her.

Ryan paused, but didn't allow himself to waver.

"Let's go, guys."

Everyone disbursed, leaving Sharpay standing there, staring after her brother. Her chin quivering, Sharpay looked to her left and found, as she usually did, Zeke watching her. For once, she looked up at him with need, her face desperate. Zeke remained silent, however, looking at her in a way he'd never looked at her before: with disappointment.

Zeke walked away, too, leaving Sharpay only with herself.


	6. Sharpay, Interrupted

**Author's Note:** **I return to you shamefully, after a way-too-long hiatus. Post graduate life is just as crazy as life in college. But I don't want to give you guys lame excuses or apologizes. Or promises for that matter. Thank you so much for all your kind comments, they meant the world to me. In fact, some of them kept me going when things got really hard towards the end of my last semester. I wrote this chapter in pieces over the course of several months and now it's here. I hope it's nice, and that you enjoy it. I can give you guys one promise and it's one I will keep: I will never give up on this story. I love it too much, I love HSM too much. Thank you so much for commenting, favoriting, and following. All comments are appreciated. They really keep me going, and I love to hear your thoughts on the story. Your voice matters! Thank you again. -Love, Becca** **  
**

* * *

 **Location:**

 **The Evans' Estate Driveway**

 **Friday Night**

 **Chad's Truck**

Two things were running through Chad's mind at once: dear god, the Evans' had a long-ass driveway, and dear god had this awkward silence lasted way too long.

Once Ryan had washed up at Gabriella's house, things calmed down. Chad felt confident that they were able to distract Ryan from what had happened, even though he found himself replaying the scene over and over in his head. Nothing would ever erase the image of Ryan's bloody face looking up at him, terrified, from Chad's memory.

Nevertheless, they'd managed to have a good time that evening. They'd watched a terrible movie on Netflix, played several intense rounds of Uno, and Gabriella's mom had made the cheesiest pasta in the history of ever.

But as the night wound down Ryan got more and more quiet. It was time for him to go home. Chad offered to give him a ride before Troy could, surprising himself. The silence loomed between them the entire time, and he couldn't help but feel he'd made a mistake. It was obvious there were a lot of complicated feelings going on with Ryan right now…Chad didn't _do_ feelings. He barely managed his own.

This was probably why he suddenly stopped the truck not quite at the end of the driveway and blurted out what he was thinking on pure instinct.

"Man, don't go into that house feeling like this."

Ryan looked at him, eyes a little wide—the bruises had developed on his face quite harshly by now and the shadows of night weren't doing him any favors.

"What?"

"Well, you just seem so…sad." _Nice going, Chad._ He envisioned beating his head against the steering wheel, but kept eye contact with Ryan who looked a little put off.

"Well, sorry—I can't just flip a switch and feel chipper." Ryan looked away, seemingly uncomfortable. Maybe Ryan didn't do feelings either?

"I know. That's not what I meant. My bad. I just…want to make sure you're okay." Chad couldn't figure out why, but he kept his eyes steady on Ryan even as the boy remained staring forward.

The silence lingered, but it was heavy now, no awkwardness to be found. Ryan was brimming, and all Chad had to do was wait for the spill. It didn't take much longer, but Ryan's voice soundedwas strained and, uncomfortable when he finally spoke.

"I…am so… _angry."_ Only then did he look over at Chad, his jaw set, his eyes shining. Looking back at him, Chad tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "I am so unbelievably angry, Chad."

"I know." Was all Chad could think to say, but it was enough to help Ryan continue.

"I hate this—I'm humiliated. I hate saying that, I hate that it's true. My body hurts like _hell_ my face isn't even the worst of it, I checked while I was in the bathroom."

This information set Chad's heartbeat skipping.

"Do you need to go to the hosp—"

"I'm sure nothing's broken," Ryan assured him, giving in and wiping his right cheek with the heel of his hand quickly. "I was humiliated today by someone who is practically a stranger to me, and my own sister—who I guess is just as much a stranger to me as Justin is.

Chad didn't know what to say. He couldn't defend Sharpay, and he if he was being honest he didn't want to. He'd always thought she was a snake—until recently he'd considered her a harmless one.

"I'm sorry, this is probably awkward for you." Ryan mistook his silence, and shifted in his seat. "I'll just walk from here."

"What? No."

"It's alright."

"Ryan—"

"Thank you for the ride—"

"Ryan, you didn't—"

"It's okay—"

"No, it's not okay, damn it!" Chad slammed his hands against his steering wheel, causing Ryan to freeze.

 _Damn it_. Now he had to share his feelings, the ones he hadn't realized he was feeling. Closing his eyes for a moment, Chad took a breath before turning his body to face Ryan.

"I am so pissed off, Ryan." Opening his eyes, he was surprised to hear his voice shake, "I am beyond pissed—I don't even know what I am, I don't have a big enough vocabulary to express it! I never expected when I heard all the noise in the hallway that I would find you there in the middle of it. Like, how the hell could this happen? Justin Fitzgerald is an idiot. A prick. An _ass_. And I'm positive they won't get suspended because they have a game next weekend. When I saw you on the floor, I felt sick. _It makes me sick._ You shouldn't be embarrassed at all Ryan; you have nothing to be ashamed of. Justin should be embarrassed—he's a fool. It pisses me off! He—"

In the darkness Ryan reached out and took Chad's hand that had been pressing deeper and deeper into the seat between them. If stopping his rant was the goal, it did the trick. Surprised, Chad could only blink, focusing back in on Ryan's face. Ryan's hand was cool against his, and though Ryan's face was significantly wetter than before it was also calmer. Their eyes met.

 _Hey batter, batter,_

 _Hey batter, batter,_

 _What?_

Chad swallowed again.

"Thank you, Chad. I realized just now I never told you that. I went down fast in that fight, if you can call it a fight. I don't remember how many times he got my face, but I was so dizzy I had to lay down—even if it made it easier for him. Thank you for coming to get me in all of that."

Chad's throat was so dry he couldn't swallow again. His heart was pounding against his chest hard enough to echo in his brain.

"I'm sorry, Ryan."

"What?" Ryan's eyes knit together in confusion and he removed his hand from Chad's. Chad found he could breathe again.

"The fight we had—on Wednesday. I'm sorry I was an idiot." Chad would not allow himself to chicken out on this just because he felt worried about what people would think. "You knew why I was pulling away from doing the show—you didn't say it to my face, but you should have. I felt...uncomfortable. But why? Forget what people think. Who cares about them? I won't be like Justin, Ryan. I'm not him. I won't quit the show."

Despite the split lip, Ryan's mouth spread into a wide smile. "I'm really glad, Chad."

Chad smiled back, and this time the brief silence was a comfortable one.

"Well, thanks again for the ride. Have a good night."

"Any time." Chad watched Ryan slide out of his truck, "And Ryan?"

"Yes?" Hand on the passenger door, Ryan turned to look at him.

Was he _ever_ going to get moisture back in his throat?

"If you need anything, call me."

Ryan smiled again, "Will do. Thanks, Chad."

Though Ryan didn't notice, Chad found he was unable to return his smile. Pensively, Chad watched Ryan as he walked the rest of the way to his house—he told himself it was so that Ryan had his headlights for sight, but the entire place was lit to the nines with security lighting.

Chad felt an uncomfortable tightness in his chest, and an uneasiness in the pit of his stomach. Why? He had no idea why—he didn't _do_ feelings. He felt…worried? It was like he didn't want Ryan to leave, but what was he going to do? Invite him to a sleepover?

Closing his eyes in regret over his own thoughts, he pushed away the embarrassing idea and started back on his way home.

* * *

 **Location:**

 **East High School**

 **Two Weeks Later**

 **A Monday**

The weekend passed by without a hitch, and _Rent_ began. First rehearsals were a balance of blocking, costume fittings, vocals and choreography. For the entire gang, it felt like a blur. Ryan and Troy excelled in memorizing blocking and choreography first before anyone else. Taylor, Zeke, and Gabriella always came to rehearsal off book, Jason was surprising everyone in the fact that not only could he sing, he was remembering the lyrics at least half of the time.

This didn't mean the cast was without their fair share of struggling. Troy was totally out of his element as Mimi. Though he was on key in his singing, he was—as Darbus put it—as limp and lifeless as a deflated basketball. Darbus also thought that mention of any kind of sport instrument in her analogies would help the athletes pick up on what she was talking about.

Taylor and Chad were both stiff with their characters, but Darbus seemed to have hope for them. A surprise standout in rehearsals was Gabriella—her Roger was more withdrawn and angsty than any of her friends had anticipated from her. Gabriella's struggle came from not carrying rehearsal around with her after it was done—something Troy couldn't figure out how to help her with.

Kelsi seemed to be finding herself in Angel—or finding herself in the way that _her_ Angel was going to be on stage. Her character was changed the most in the gender, and as such the fashion sense of the character was drastically different. Kelsi's own wardrobe contributed to this and it seemed lots of straight-cut, knee-length shorts would be worn, as well as vests.

It was the end of the second week of rehearsal, and Kelsi surprised everyone by chopping off most of her hair into a scruffy pixie cut. Well, she surprised everyone but Darbus—if she hadn't received permission first Darbus would have had her head. Her chocolate brown hair was swooped back in a stylish quaff. She looked even more like her character, and she owned it.

Then there was Sharpay—who'd been having an entirely different first two weeks of rehearsal. Ryan had not spoken to her in two weeks—the only two weeks of her existence without him. The lines and lyrics were easy enough to learn, but nothing could satisfy Darbus. Normally Sharpay would lament Darbus for being too picky, but she knew this wasn't the case. For the first time in her life, Sharpay had to admit that she was terrible.

She dreaded rehearsal, a thing that had once been her sanctuary. Now it was a place where no one spoke to her, a place where she sat off to the side and observed as others interacted, grew, and had fun. Even Zeke wouldn't speak to her. He wouldn't answer her texts, either. She'd never worked so hard for his attention in her life. Even the daily cookies in her locker had stopped. That was when she'd known he was serious.

A serious extrovert, Sharpay was at a loss and feeling the emptiest she'd ever felt. But there was no one around to listen to her—not anyone who would understand. Even _she_ didn't understand. Her performance in the show was so bad that each night Darbus left her notes until the very end, dismissing the entire group because it would just be easier to talk to her personally. And, less humiliating. Each time she failed in front of Ryan a little piece of her soul shriveled away.

"Miss Evans." Darbus greeted, gesturing for her to sit down in one of the desks. Her class room was entirely empty, the woman perched upon the director's chair at the front of the room. "Thank you for coming. I know this is your lunch period."

Sharpay remained silent, sitting in her usual seat. It didn't matter that it was lunch, no one sat with her. She hadn't set foot in the cafeteria in over a week. She was also certain that this meeting had to do with how much she was sucking so she was resigned. At this point, she was used to it.

"I would like to talk about—"

"How much I suck? Go ahead, Ms. Darbus."

"Well…" Caught off guard, Darbus hesitated. "I wouldn't put it quite like that."

"Really?"

"Well…" Heaving a dramatic sigh, Darbus shifted in her seat. "You are not _sucking_ , Miss Evans. You are _struggling_. There's a difference."

"Not for me." Sharpay said, decided on the matter. "I never have."

Darbus was silent for a moment, and what was left of Sharpay's confidence free-fell into oblivion.

"So, you think if you were Maureen, you'd be excelling."

"Yes." She said, with less enthusiasm than she would have two weeks ago. She still thought so, but any talk of the role of Maureen meant talk of Ryan.

"I disagree."

Startled, Sharpay couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her. "So were you going to cast me at all if you hadn't done this whole gender-swap thing?!"

"That's not the point. You could have played the part of Maureen easily, but you would not have excelled."

"And I'm supposed to excel as Mark? We are nothing alike. We are totally different, he would hate who I am, and I would probably think he's pathetic and gross."

"Well, surely you don't think you're like Maureen?" Darbus asked, letting Sharpay's silence allow her to continue, "Sharpay, Maureen and Mark are more similar than you think, and you are like neither of them. Maureen loves to perform—just like you. Maureen uses that love of performance for expression and speaking out about injustice in the world. You perform because of the rush and the love of the spotlight."

No one had ever said anything like this to her before, even though she knew it was true. The embarrassment warmed on her cheeks until it almost burned.

"You could have played Maureen. But you would not have been Maureen. You would have gone on as Sharpay in Maureen's costume."

"Ms. Darbus." It was too much. It was all too much. The heat prickled behind her eyes and it built too quickly.

"I don't mean this cruelly, Sharpay. I think you deserve honesty. You're a bright, smart young lady."

A single tear slid down the blonde's cheek, but the kindness in Darbus' voice halted the rest.

"Sharpay, you are full of passion and drive. There is so much you want. You aren't getting it. Isn't it time you tried a different way? Tell me about Mark."

"He's…sarcastic." This didn't satisfy Darbus, so Sharpay was forced to press on, "He…is kind pathetic, but I think he knows it. He _definitely_ knows it. He doesn't want to be in the center of it all, he wants to be on the sidelines observing everyone else—but…"

"But?"

Then suddenly, Sharpay saw herself watching everyone else pass her by in the halls, in class, at lunch, during rehearsals.

"He's lonely. He's alone. His friends may die and leave, and he'll be alone. And there's a part of him that's already alone. But he wants to be heard. That's why he's an artist."

Darbus remained silent, and only smiled. The warmth that bloomed this time was not from embarrassment, and it bloomed from deep within her. _This was something new._

"Sharpay, you are so much more than a lead actress, than a performer. You are an _artist._ Here." Darbus stood, holding up a manila folder, which she handed to her. "In this folder are some concept looks for your version of Mark. All of these looks are approved. Normally I make the final selection, but I trust you'll find something in here that inspires you."

Curious, Sharpay opened the folder at the photos inside and her eyes widened in shock. Looking up at Darbus, who only smiled at her before moving to the door, Sharpay looked down at the images in her hands. And inspiration flooded over her like a new beginning.

* * *

 **Location:**

 **East High School**

 **Later That Day**

 **A Music Room**

 _All I wanna do,_

 _Is dance with you._

 _Sing with you._

 _There's nothing music can't do,_

 _Just wanna dance with you._

 _Sing with you._

Kelsi plucked away on the piano, singing slowly to herself to try and work out a song that was stuck in her head. Darbus was open to her writing the second musical they would do later in the school year, and Kelsi already had a full plan. Hammering out the lyrics, however, was taking some time.

The melody was coming along, but the words…she just couldn't get them quite right. Too focused, she didn't Sharpay enter. And so, the movement in her peripheral vision scared the ever-loving crap out of her.

Squeaking in shock, she knocked some of her papers on the floor as she shot up. "Sharpay!"

"I'm sorry!" Sharpay blurted, rushing to pick up the spilled papers. Kelsi remained standing, frozen in shock.

"What did you just say?"

"I'm sorry—I didn't mean to scare you. I said your name, but I guess you didn't hear me."

Kelsi just stared in disbelief. Sharpay Evans had just…apologized.

Sharpay looked back, misunderstanding Kelsi's silence. Clutching onto her manila folder awkwardly, she was afraid that she was too far gone for even Kelsi to want to speak with her.

"Actually, I want to apologize again."

"What?!"

"No, I mean it. I…I've always been terrible to you, Kelsi. I've always dumped on your music, your lyrics. And I made you jump through so many hoops in sophomore year to be in the theater club. But your role is just as important to theater as an actor's. Actually, it's more important, isn't it? Without the music, or the lines, we'd just be people standing there."

Kelsi continued to stare at her, her mouth open. Sharpay continued to misread this.

"Okay. I'm sorry for bothering you. I'll just leave you alone."

"No wait!" Shocked awake by Sharpay turning to leave, Kelsi realized that she must've come for something. It was clear that she was being sincere…Kelsi took another second to be amazed at the thought of Sharpay being sincere. "Did you…need something?"

"I…I know that everyone isn't speaking to me, so it's okay if you don't want to tell anyone. I just wanted to apologize…but I also need your help." Sharpay stepped forward, desperate for someone to talk to, someone to hear her. "I _suck_ in rehearsals. I _suck_ in general. I want to do better. I want to try. I need your help."

Completely floored, Kelsi's heart leapt into her throat. Maybe she was taking the role of Angel with her once rehearsal was over, but Kelsi had always fantasized about Sharpay one day suddenly changing her ways. It was like a dream come true!

"What do you need, Sharpay?"

Silently, Sharpay pulled out one of the images from the folder and handed it to Kelsi. Kelsi took it, and found she could actually be out-shocked despite what was already happening.

"Oh my God."

"Yeah." Sharpay replied, nodding once Kelsi finally looked back up at her.

* * *

 **Later That Day:**

"Thanks again for going shopping with me. I didn't realize this would be so messy though, is it going to stain your tub?"

It was totally going to stain her tub, Kelsi didn't care. She would take the heat from her mom if her mom was that mad, but the hair dye would fade in time. "It'll wash off, don't worry! I've dyed my hair before, it'll be fine."

"Okay, good. How does it look."

They'd been shopping all afternoon, and currently Sharpay sat in a chair in the middle of Kelsi's room. They'd laid out newspaper all around. Kelsi did one finally snip with the scissors in her hand.

"Done. Are you ready?"

"Absolutely." Sharpay said, desperate to see herself—her new self.

It was the most understated she'd ever been, and somehow it clicked enough to make her louder. She wore a heather gray long sleeve, black jeans, boots, and a skinny scarf in gray and burnt orange—a homage to the original Mark's style.

Accompanying this look was a short bob with bangs, and jet black hair. Suddenly her complexion looked so much paler, more artistic. Sharpay had never once considered losing her blonde until today, and it felt right. It didn't feel permanent, but it was _so_ right for right now.

"Sharpay…this looks great. If I do say so myself." Kelsi almost smirked at her own work, admiring the look they'd put together.

"Thank you so much, Kelsi. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to."

"It's okay, Sharpay. I don't care if everyone gets mad at me. I think that…I think that you need to have a talk with Ryan. We've already had our talk. And actually, I've always wanted to be your friend." Kelsi smiled warmly, thrilled to finally see Sharpay without the horrible front in the way.

"There's no way Ryan will speak to me—he hasn't in two weeks." Soberly, Sharpay looked back at herself, "It's too much this time. First I'll show him I'm committed to my role as Mark. And I'll make it up to him somehow. I don't know how, but I will."

Inspired, even touched, Kelsi looked at the new Sharpay and considered how much courage it would take to walk into school alone tomorrow…and much courage it must've taken to walk in alone for the passed two weeks.

"We can go to school together tomorrow. I'll walk in with you."

"Really?" Shocked, Sharpay looked at Kelsi with wide-eyes.

Yes, Kelsi thought, this new look would take some getting used to. "Of course."

"Thanks!" Sharpay smiled brightly in a way that Kelsi had never seen, "I'll pick you up!"

"I can't wait!" And Kelsi found, shockingly enough, that she meant it.

"Kelsi, I wish we could have been friends sooner. Sorry I suck so much."

" _Sucked._ " Kelsi corrected, "Past tense. You sucked." And she grinned, actually joking with Sharpay Evans.

Sharpay grinned too. Kelsi and Sharpay… who would have thought?

Sharpay had always thought Kelsi was weak, but Sharpay knew now that it wasn't weakness, it was kindness. It terrified her, but it was through that kindness that she now had a friend. Sharpay was ready. She was ready to try.


End file.
